The Guy In The All-Girl Acapella Group
by The Flying Hawaiian 001
Summary: LP McDaniel is the new guy in town. And, fortunately (or unfortunately) for Aubrey Posen and Chloe Beale, he's the first guy in the Barden Bellas. A total rewrite of the original Pitch Perfect. I own no one but my OCs. Not BeChloe. Rated R for language, occasional mentions of violence and even violence, and references to sex. Read it, enjoy it, most importantly, I hope you love it!
1. Chapter 1

_Copyright Disclaimer: 'Pitch Perfect' and all its characters do not belong to me. This property belongs to Universal Pictures. I do not own any of the characters or locations in this story, and the only people that I can take credit for are the original characters found in this story and the story itself. Now that that's out of the way, enjoy!_

 **THE GUY IN THE ALL-GIRL ACAPELLA GROUP**

Chapter One: _A New Chapter_

August 29th, 2012. There was a house on Vintage Street, near Los Angeles. 1771, West Vintage Street. It was a quaint little place, very quiet in the evening and night. It rested on a hill, in a cul-du-sac near a nice park, where children would head to after school to engage in. There was a pot of flowers that rested next to a chair on the painted-brown porch, which were left there so as to get enough sunlight.

Inside the house lived three people. One was a middle-aged man with graying brown hair, a long beard that stretched to his chest, and wrinkles under his eyes that signaled aging.

There also lived a young girl, with the same brown hair as her Father. She was no more than seven years old, and was almost always up bright and early that summer, no matter if the aging man, who worked late nights at work, was up or not.

And then there was the third man. Well, technically, he was still just a young man. An eighteen year old who slept peacefully in his bed. Until…

 _Oh, ohhh…_

 _Oh, ohhh…_

 _I believe in self-assertion,_

 _Destiny, or a self-diversion._

 _Now it seems I've got my head on straight._

 _I'm a freak,_

 _An apparition._

 _Seems I've made the right decision._

 _Try to turn back now,_

 _It might be too late…_

 _And it's up to the moon,_

 _And then back again,_

 _My happiness rears back as if to say…_

 _I wanna stay home today…_

 _Don't wanna go out!_

The guy, hearing the music loud and clear, and knowing the lyrics like a recipe from a cookbook, groaned, remembering what day it was. The day he had been dreading for so long. Ever since… that horrible night.

He didn't want to think about it. He refused to think about it.

This young man had a name, as all people do. It was a common name, one he had been given the day he was born. However, in spite of being stuck with this name, he hated the very sound of it. He would not have people call him by his first name.

So, he simply called himself 'LP'. They were the two first letters of his first and middle name. And, despite his Father's reservations, the nickname, like glue, eventually stuck, and soon, the teen was known as LP McDaniel, to his friends, his family, and anyone who just so happened to ask for his name.

LP, still tired, blinked at least three times, as a means of waking himself up, and yawned, stretching his arms as he did so. He was always tired, usually up late at night, working on a new mix on his computer, or doing something else.

After eventually deciding that he was done waking himself up, LP stood on his feet, and groggily walked to the door of his bedroom. Once there, he placed his hand on the handle of the doorknob, and twisted it.

The door hung wide open, and LP walked out, faintly hearing the sound of the 'SpongeBob SquarePants' theme on the television. He carefully walked down the steps, so as to not wake his Father, who he knew valued his sleep quite a bit.

Once he was at the bottom of the stairs, he saw that his suspicions were confirmed: his little sister was watching the television, smiling and giggling as she watched SpongeBob Squarepants and his usual antics on the TV.

Seeing her happy brought a smile to his face, especially in light of everything that had happened over the summer. "Hey, kiddo." LP called out to her, in a low voice.

The little girl, June, turned around, and smiled. "Hey, LP! Wanna see what I made you?" She asked. LP chuckled, and said, "Sure. Wait, why do I smell pancakes?"

June hopped from where she sat on the couch, and walked over to LP, grabbing his hand once she was next to him. "That's what I want to show you! Now, come on."

He let her lead him to the kitchen table, where a plate was stacked with three big pancakes, topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and maple syrup.

LP smiled, and laughed. "You didn't have to do this for me, June." He said, a small smile on his face. "I wanted to make you pancakes before you left for college." She said, happily.

The last word of June's sentence made both LP's heart and smile sink. He was once again nervous, and stressed. The hairs on his arms stood up, and he felt like his stomach had been turned into a pit. He then slowly nodded his head, before June looked at him, and cheerfully said, "Come on! Eat your breakfast!"

He smiled sadly at her. Her undeniable optimism and cheerfulness made him feel a little better. " _Maybe things won't be so bad."_ He said, internally.

Obeying her command, LP chuckled, and took his seat at the table. "Yes, ma'am." He said, averting his eyes to the stack of pancakes, which he was now eyeing, very, very hungrily.

"Hey, LP?" June asked, as LP heartily ate his breakfast, only to pause. "Yeah, kiddo?" He replied. "You'll come back, right?" She asked, wanting to spit out that question from the very minute she got up.

LP sighed, and stopped eating. He set down his fork, and rested both of his hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me: I will come back. You understand? I will be here, again. On Thanksgiving, on Christmas, on Easter, heck, even on your birthday. I will be there, baby girl. You have nothing to worry about. You still have my number, right?" She nodded. "Good. If you ever need anything, call me. I'll shoot over as fast and as soon as I can." He said, before kissing her on the head.

"Okay." June said, nodding her head. Then, she wrapped her small arms around his upper body, to which he did the same. " _I'll be here no matter what, June. I promise you."_

* * *

After fifteen minutes, LP finished his breakfast, and washed it all down with a glass of warm milk. He then proceeded to make his way to the bathroom on the second floor, carefully tiptoeing to the door as he did so, as a means of not waking up his Father.

LP entered the bathroom, and removed his clothes from his body. He then proceeded to open the shower, and got on. He turned on the hot water, and let it caress his body, happy that the heat gave him such a good feeling in the morning. And, on top of that, it completely took the sleep out of his body.

While in the shower, he thought about what college would be like, and all the possibilities there were. Would there be some kind of groups for music? Would the food be good? Who would be his roommate? And, most importantly, who would be his friend.

He decided to put the thoughts to bed, for a while. At least until he got onto the plane, or until he was actually at the place. He wanted to reserve all worries at least until then.

* * *

After his shower, LP grabbed a towel from a handle next to the door of the shower, and wrapped it around his waist. He then moved over to the mirror, and placed his hands on the edge of the bathroom sink, as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

LP was a relatively tall guy, with short, parted dark hair, and dark blue eyes, like an ocean. He was fairly skinny, and had a hint of a mustache growing on his face.

He smiled at himself in the mirror. Not out of vanity, but out of reassurance. "Don't worry. It probably won't be that bad." He said, before unwrapping the towel, and getting dressed in the outfit he had set out for himself on the toilet.

Within three minutes, LP was dressed in a pair of jeans, and a slick gray and black jacket with a hood. The only thing that he felt was missing from his outfit was sitting on his dresser in his room.

LP left the bathroom, and walked into his room. The sight of it being so empty didn't make him feel better.

What once was a room with various posters for films, including but not limited to the poster for 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World', 'Up', and 'Good Will Hunting' now had empty walls.

What once was a room with an XBox 360, a Playstation 3, a Playstation 2, a Nintendo 64 and Nintendo Gamecube, now had most of those systems, sans the XBox 360 and a few games, being put in the basement.

What once had various containers of comic books and films would now be a room without any of those things, and all of those things would be moved to the basement.

All that was left was a stripped bed, an empty closet, dresser, and desk, and a black beanie on said dresser. He promptly grabbed the beanie, and sat on his bed as he held it in his hands.

For a few moments, he just sat, and stared at the beanie. He looked at it, stared at it, as if it were the last thing he'd ever see. He had worn it for three years, and, somehow, it had not gotten smaller, nor had it stopped fitting on his head.

His Mother bought it for him. It was probably the biggest reason why he kept hold of it, other than the fact that it was, in all honesty, a pretty nice hat.

After what seemed like forever, he finally stopped staring at the hat when he heard a knock at the door. LP looked at the door, and, with slight hesitation, said, 'Come in."

The door opened, and in walked his Father, Thomas. The man wore a black robe, and an exhausted look in his eyes. He had a mug of hot coffee in his hands, with the mug saying 'Wake Me Up When I Give A Fuck'.

The sight of Thomas, as well as the coffee mug, which LP found utterly cringeworthy, made LP slightly look at the ground.

"Well, good morning to you, too." Thomas said sarcastically, before taking a sip of the coffee.

The comment made LP slightly scowl at his Father, who took notice of this. "Hey, come on, LP. We don't need this, today. Not when you're leaving." Thomas said, which prompted LP to stand up, and stand directly in front of his Father. "No, Dad. I don't need this, today. Especially in front of June."

Thomas set the mug down on the dresser, and put his hand on his son's arm. "Look, we don't need to talk about what happened, now. And, in all actuality, I just wanted to come in to tell you that, if you want to make it to your plane, you better be packed, and ready to be out the door and in the car in thirty seconds flat, you understand me?"

LP, in spite of not wanting to be in the same airspace as his father, sighed, and nodded his head. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, grab your stuff, and get in the car."

Thomas then grabbed the mug, and left the room, but not before taking another sip of his coffee. He then left the room, with LP to do but a few things.

LP then proceeded to check everything that he wanted to pack with him: clothes, money, a backpack, textbooks, paper, notebooks, pencils, his phone, his phone charger, his headphones, his computer, his XBox 360, a few video games for said XBox 360, and a few DVDs to watch. He had all of these things. They were all in his luggage, and were about to be in the trunk of his Father's car.

"It's time to go." He said. " _Time to face the rest of the world, and move onto the next chapter of my life."_

After putting on a pair of sunglasses, LP grabbed his phone and headphones, as well as his backpack, and walked out of the door. But, before he closed it, he looked back at his room. He thought about how much he would miss it, and how many memories he'd have of it. Playing Red Dead Redemption with his friends, coloring with June, watching 'Heat' with his Father…

This was no time for sentimentality. This was a time for moving on. And LP knew this. He was ready for this. And, with that, he took a deep breath, and closed the door.

* * *

On the way to the airport, LP didn't say a word as his Father drove. Not that Thomas had anything to say, either. The only one in the car who had anything to say was June, who sang along to whatever was on the radio.

While Thomas was paying close attention to the road, LP was completely tapped out. His sunglasses shielded his eyes from the bright, shining morning sun. He had his beanie draped over most of his head, and his headphones softly played music into his ears.

Eventually, the car parked in front of the airport. And LP knew that it was time. Time to say goodbye, for a long while. To everything that he had grown up with. To write a new chapter in a storybook. To keep moving forward.

LP got out of the car. He grabbed his luggage, and watched as his sister looked at him, a sad look in her eyes. He tried to ignore it, but, how could he?

Soon, all of the things he needed were in his hands. He was ready. LP knew that he was ready.

Thomas and June hopped out of the car. As soon as she opened the door, June ran into LP's lap, and hugged him. He then bent down on one knee, and hugged her back. "I love you, LP. Please don't go! Please!" She said, sadly.

Resisting the urge to cry himself, LP hugged her even tighter, and squeezed his eyes shut. "I love you too, kiddo. And… just remember, I'm always available if you need or want to call me. Okay?" He asked, as his grip tightened on her.

Eventually, he had to let go of her. As hard as it was for him, he did, and he took a deep breath, before going over to his Father. LP had his head hung low, and Thomas could clearly see that he was trying his best to save face.

Not knowing what else to do, Thomas put his hand on his son's shoulder, to which LP looked up at him. "Son…", Thomas started. LP waited for a few moments, wanting his Father to say something. Anything.

Then, all Thomas could say, was a dull, "Be careful." And, with that, he took his hand from his son's shoulder, and clasped his daughter's right hand, only to lead her back to the car. Soon, the two of them were in the car, and driving away. And the last thing that LP saw was June's face, as she stared out the back window, as if LP would drop college, and run back into the car.

* * *

Once he was on the plane, and his luggage was safe and secure, LP sat in a seat next to the window in coach. As soon as he was seated, he pulled out his phone, and pulled up his playlist. He scrolled down on the screen, until he came across the song that he wanted: 'Piano Man'. " _Nothing like a little Billy Joel to make myself feel better."_

As the song started, LP closed his eyes, and imagined himself in a bar. He imagined himself playing a piano, while a nicely-dressed guy served free drinks to friendly customers, and his friends watched and admired his skills on the piano.

 _Sing us a song,_

 _You're the piano man._

 _Sing us a song_

 _Tonight._

 _While we're all in the mood for a melody_

 _And you've got us feeling alright._

 _Oh, la diddy da_

 _Diddy da da_

He played that song on repeat. All the way until he got to the other airport.

* * *

When the plane landed, LP grabbed everything he had, and got off. Once he did, he went to the luggage, and grabbed the bags he needed to get. Then, he walked out of the airport, and breathed in the new Atlanta air. It smelled fresh, cool and nice. Hopefully, it would stay that way.

LP, spotting a cab, and in desperate need of transportation, whistled to get the driver's attention. As if on cue, the cab stopped right in front of him. The cabbie, a black man who looked as if he was in his mid 40s, rolled the window down. "Hop in, man." He said, with a friendly smile.

LP smiled back, and said, "Give me a second. I have some stuff I need to put in the trunk." The cabbie gave a nod of his head. "Go ahead. Do what you gotta do."

LP put his bags in the trunk, and brought with him only his phone and headphones into the backseat. Once everything was in the trunk, he sat down, and closed his door.

"Where to?" The cabbie asked. "Barden University." LP said, bluntly. "Got it." The cabbie responded, before driving off.

While on the road to the college, LP remained almost completely silent. Like in the car and aboard the plane, he had his headphones plugged into his phone, and listened to some of his favorite songs.

Eventually, the cabbie asked, somewhat awkwardly, "So… you excited for college?" LP chuckled a little, being able to hear what the cabbie said, due to the music being at an okay level.

"Not really. Tell you the truth, this wasn't the first college I wanted to go to." LP said as he looked out the cab window. "Really? Huh. Well, you ever been to Atlanta before?" The cabbie asked another question. "No. It's not that I didn't want to be in this city, it's just that… I wanted to go to a college where my other friends are." LP explained.

The cabbie nodded his head, again. "Cool, cool." Then, LP chuckled a little, making the cabbie confused. "What's so funny?" He asked. "Oh, nothing. It's just… we're sitting in this cab, talking about stuff, and it reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite movies." LP explained his reasoning for laughing.

The cabbie smiled. "What movie?" LP smiled back, and said, "Collateral. You know, the movie directed by Michael Mann, with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx as the hitman and cab driver? It's one of my favorite movies of all time."

The cab driver chuckled a little. "I saw that movie when it came out at a theater in LA. It was pretty badass, not gonna lie." He said.

"Definitely. I made so many short films in high school that were inspired by that movie and Heat, which Michael Mann also directed." LP said, nostalgically.

LP thought of how he made so many movies with his friends in film class. He thought of his teacher, Mr. Jones, and how he was his favorite teacher. He thought about graduation, and… and he didn't want to think about the past, anymore.

* * *

He remained silent for the rest of the cab ride, until they finally arrived at the University. As LP got out and grabbed his things, he said to the cabbie, "Thanks for getting me here. You're a pretty good driver."

LP then pulled out the amount of money needed to pay for his ride, which the cabbie took. "Thanks, man. You take care of yourself, okay?" He said, to which LP smiled, and said, "I will. Thank you. You take care of yourself, too."

Then, the cabbie gave him a thumbs up, and drove. And LP turned around, and looked at the sight in front of him: people, walking around the campus, talking with one another, laughing, smiling, building after building, and a sign that read, in big blue letters, 'WELCOME TO BARDEN!'

LP sighed, and said, 'It's time to start a new chapter.'

 _Author's Note: What do you guys think? I've wanted to write this one for a while, and I am gonna try to squeeze this_ _one in with Rebellion and Scumbags. Also, after much thought, I am canceling Thunderbird entirely. If someone wants to adopt it, they can, and I'm totally okay with that! Just tell me when you do, send me a link (and a message, if possible), and credit my name in the story! Anywho, thank you all for reading, leave a review and give me your thoughts/feedback, and, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, and I'm back, baby! For good!_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: _Breaking Tradition_

LP walked in the direction of the building he was assigned to. At first, the prospect of living in a dorm room sounded extremely promising to him. Then, the second he learned he'd have to share it with two roommates, he was automatically turned off.

All his life, LP had lived in his own room, sleeping alone. He rarely, if ever, had to share his room with anyone, save for June, but only when she was younger.

Nevertheless, he decided to keep an open mind, and walked toward the building to which he was required to sleep in, at least for the first year.

As he walked along, LP overheard many people talking, some people talking about rather strange things. He heard a chipper female voice say something about a 'rape whistle', and almost automatically looked in the direction which he heard this coming from.

He saw a blonde woman, probably in her 20s, talking to another young woman. The woman who was being informed caught quite a bit of LP's attention.

She was obviously new to the University, if she was being given information and having bags by her side. She had a pair of headphones wrapped around the back of her neck, just beneath the bun of her brown hair.

From what LP could take away only by looks and hearing things, she was into music, she was new, and she was very, very attractive.

He smiled a little, and shook his head, only to continue walking along, listening and not talking to anyone. And, at the same time, he was still thinking: " _What in pluperfect Hell is a rape whistle? And why is it being given out to other people?! What kind of cuckoo's nest did I land in?!"_

* * *

Eventually, he made it to the building, and started walking to his room, all the way on the second floor.

LP walked through the hall, looking for the right room. And, soon, he came across a door that had the same room which he was supposed to go to. "Home, sweet home. For now, at least." He said, before opening the door.

When he opened it, what he saw both confused him, and made him happy: two guys, both tall, but one with black hair, and the other wearing a cape, stood before him, one waving a wand around, and the other unpacking a bunch of movies onto his desk.

The thing that made LP happy? A bunch of Star Wars memorabilia, draped all over the room. Obviously, one of, or both of, his roommates was a big Star Wars fan.

As soon as he opened the door, the two guys stopped what they were doing, and looked at their new roommate.

The guy with the cape smiled, and waved his hand. "Howdy!" He said, before walking over to LP. He then outstretched his hand. "I'm Benji." LP smiled, albeit a bit awkwardly, and shook the guy's hand. "Nice to meet you. Who's the other guy?" He asked.

At that point, the other guy walked over, and offered his hand. "I'm Jesse. And you are?" He asked.

LP, not knowing what else to tell them, with the only other option being telling them his real name, said, "LP. It's nice to meet another guy who loves movies, as well as another guy who likes Star Wars."

Jesse and Benji took note of what he said, and looked around the room, though both looked in different directions. Jesse in the direction of his stack of DVDs, and Benji at the Star Wars memorabilia.

"Oh, that! Yeah, uh, don't worry, I'm not that big a nerd. I just love Star Wars, magic, Legos… okay, that came out sounding a lot nerdier than I intended." Benji explained, before going a little red in the face.

LP chuckled, and said, "It's fine, dude. Like I said, I'm one of you. I love Star Wars just as much as the next guy walking the street." This made Benji relax a little, as he sighed with relief, glad to not need to feel any embarrassment.

With Jesse, he took a quick look at the pile of DVDs, and smiled a little. "Yeah. In case you couldn't guess, I love movies. They're probably what got me through high school. Scratch that, they _WERE_ what got me through high school."

LP smiled even bigger, happy that, contrary to what he feared would happen, his roommates seemed to be decent guys. A bit awkward, especially Benji, but still decent.

"Soooo… what are you waiting for, man? Are you gonna set down your bags, or what? I mean, you're our roommate now, right?" Jesse asked, somewhat sarcastically.

LP shook his head, and walked over to the only empty bed left. It was big enough to fit a guy his height, and would, hopefully, be comfortable to sleep in.

So, he set his bags down, and laid down on the bed, suddenly realizing how exhausted he was. " _Damn. What a day. Leaving home, coming here, being stressed out about it all, only to have a couple of roommates who seem cool. Irony has officially kicked me in the ass."_ LP thought to himself.

"Hey, you're not going to sleep just yet, are you? We're about to go to the Activities Fair, man! You should come with us." Jesse said, as LP slowly got up.

"Activities Fair? You mean, like a bunch of clubs? Clubs that you can sign up for?" He asked. Jesse nodded his head. "Yep!" He said, excitedly. "We're going. You're more than welcome to come, if you want." Benji added.

LP put his hand on his chin, wondering if it was the best thing to do. He had barely even settled in, and already, these two guys were inviting him to walk around the campus?

" _Well, it could be a good way to make friends. That, and I might be able to get to know a few people, especially these guys."_ LP thought to himself, before looking at Jesse and Benji.

"Are there any clubs involving music? Maybe, DJing, perhaps? Mixing music?" LP asked, curious as to what Barden had to offer in terms of music.

Jesse nodded his head once more. "Yeah! Definitely. Barden has a lot of clubs involving music in them. Come on, if you're interested!" He said.

" _I am interested. And now, I'm gonna do what I want to do."_ LP thought to himself, before getting off the bed, and walking to the door. "Alright. I'm in." He said, before adding, "Autobots, roll out!"

This earned him confused looks from both Jesse and Benji. "Sorry. I just couldn't resist making that joke." LP said, sheepishly. Fortunately, the other two didn't seem to mind, and they shrugged their shoulders, before exiting the dorm room.

* * *

As they walked along the campus, and Jesse and Benji talked amongst themselves, LP admired the size of the place, all the while scanning for any sign of a club involving music. Much to his disappointment, he found none so far.

It wasn't until he heard Jesse's voice talking in his direction that he came back to the moment he was in. "So, what's your story?" Jesse asked.

LP looked at Jesse. "Hmm? Oh, me?" He asked. "No, the homeless man flashing people in the parking lot. Yes, you!" Jesse said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

LP smirked, and offered up some of his own sarcasm. "Aw, damn! I wanted to see that homeless guy! He owes me lobster money!" Benji and Jesse laughed at this comment, making LP smile a little.

"All jokes aside, I'm just a guy from LA. I grew up there my whole life with my Mom, Dad, and sister." He explained, as Jesse and Benji listened.

"Cool, cool. Anything else? You have any friends back home?" Benji asked, before Jesse followed up with, "A girlfriend?" LP chuckled a little at Jesse's question.

"A lot of friends. Tell you the truth, this wasn't my first pick for college. But, my Mom figured it would be the best place for me to be, considering the fact that she went here for college. So, I decided to go here. I'm hoping that it's worth it." He said, hopefully.

LP sighed, and asked, "So… any other questions about me?" Jesse, like a student in a class, raised his hand. As LP shook his head, he said, "Yes, Jesse?"

Jesse, slowly lowering his hand, asked, "Is your real name 'LP'? Or, is that just a nickname?" LP's smile dropped a little. "Um… let's not go there. For now at least."

As Jesse frowned a little, LP said, "Hey, look man, I'm kinda adamant about that stuff. I especially don't like to talk about it with people I've just met, or people in general. So, can we save that for later?"

Jesse pretended to pout, before saying, in a playful, childish manner, "Fine!" To add to the effect, he crossed his arms and stomped his feet, a little.

LP laughed, before asking, "So, what about you, Benji?" As if on cue, Benji's head looked in his direction. "Oh, um… I got nothing. Sorry." LP then shrugged his shoulders, saying, "Okay. Whatever, man."

As they continued walking, LP came across a sign that said "DJs." Obviously excited, LP walked over to the stand, only to realize that 'DJs' stood for 'Deaf Jews'.

Taking a huge sigh, LP walked off, and joined up once more with Benji and Jesse. "No luck?" Benji asked. "No luck." LP said, disappointed that he hadn't come across anything, yet. Nevertheless, he hoped he would find a group that would fit what he wanted.

* * *

Chloe Beale was exasperated. Four hours she and her friend, Aubrey Posen, stood on a platform, hopeful that someone, _anyone_ , would be interested in joining the Barden Bellas, the acapella group that they were left in charge of. " _Results as of right now: zero, zip, zilch, nada."_ She thought to herself.

"This. Is. Not. Good!" Aubrey said, panicking a little. "Don't stress, Bree. We'll probably find some good singers, soon. We have to find good singers. Everything will be-" Chloe started, before being interrupted by her blonde friend.

"If you say 'everything will be fine' one more time, I'm gonna go crazy. I mean, look around you, Chlo! We've had no luck finding anyone to join the Bellas! And, for God's sakes, we can't run the show on our own! We'd be a laughingstock!" Aubrey interrupted.

Chloe sighed. Ever since the… 'incident' the previous year, Aubrey had become even more neurotic and stressed. Being the new captain of the Bellas certainly didn't help. And the more stressed Aubrey became, the more Chloe worried about her.

Suddenly, Chloe got her hopes up when she saw a brunette with a small bun in her hair, walking around the campus. She looked disappointed, most likely stemming from the fact that she just walked away from the 'deaf jews' podium. Chloe rolled her eyes, realizing how easy it was to become confused by that.

She tapped on Aubrey's shoulder, pointing the girl out to her. "What about her? She looks like Bella material." Chloe said, hopeful to get the girl's attention.

Aubrey shook her head, not really wanting the girl to join the Bellas. For Aubrey, the girl had a look about her. And, whatever it was, Aubrey didn't like it.

"Chloe, I don't think-" But, before Aubrey could get her thoughts out, Chloe motioned to the girl. "Excuse me! Miss! Could you come here, please?"

The brunette walked over, much to Aubrey's dismay. Nevertheless, she decided to stay calm.

"Yeah?" She asked. "We were just wondering if you'd be interested in joining our acapella group." Chloe said. "Oh, because that's a thing, right?" The brunette asked, with slight sarcasm in her voice.

Chloe could see that Aubrey was slowly, but surely, losing her cool with this girl. Nevertheless, she persisted.

* * *

Beca Mitchell was bored. She didn't even want to be where she currently was. She wanted to be in LA, DJing, working at nightclubs, making mixes, living her life. But instead, her Father, who insisted that she get a college degree, forced her to go to Barden University.

Now, she was stuck here, with a roommate whom she was certain hated her, and was now listening to an (admittedly attractive) redhead and blonde explain to her the basics of their Acapella group, and other acapella groups.

Soon, Beca tapped back into reality, just as the redhead finished her sentence, and started introducing themselves. "We're the Bellas. We're the tits, if you couldn't guess." She said, as Beca smirked a little.

"Anyway, we're looking for new members, and we think, or, I think that you'd make a great Bella! So, are you interested?" The redhead finished, and Beca could obviously see that they were desperate for team players.

But, at the same time, Beca was uninterested in being in a big group of girls, solely for the purpose of singing for a bunch of people. And that wasn't Beca's style.

"Sorry, not interested. Honestly, it sounds kinda lame." She said, trying to be 100% honest with them and with herself.

Aubrey, clearly taken aback, said, "Aca-scuse me?!" " _Oh, boy. This isn't gonna end well."_ Chloe thought to herself.

* * *

As LP, Jesse, and Benji walked around the campus, they came across a sight that obviously excited Benji, as he poked Jesse and LP's arms. "Guys, look! It's the Treblemakers!" He said, excitedly.

As Benji looked in excitement, and Jesse looked in milder excitement, LP looked in confusion, as a diverse group of guys, almost out of nowhere, burst into a rendition of Devo's 'Whip It'.

As the scene got stranger, with a few other guys in the group mimicking the beat of the song, while others sang the lyrics to it, LP failed to realize what the fuss was all about. It was just a couple of guys singing a song and its beats. No big deal.

"Jesse, do you know how to sing 'Whip It'?" Benji asked. "Hell, yeah. I do!" Jesse said, before joining in.

JESSE: _I wanna see you whip it… soooo, let it whiiip._

"You didn't really know the song, didja?" LP asked. "No, not really." Jesse said, sheepishly. "That's okay. I have it on my playlist. I'll play it for you, later! That is, if we can find it." LP reassured him.

Then, Benji walked over to the Treblemakers, clearly not knowing what he was doing. "What is he doing?" LP asked Jesse. "Hell if I know." Jesse responded, before the two looked at each other.

"Should we help him out?" Jesse asked. "Probably, yes." LP responded. "Now?" Jesse asked again. "Now." LP said. "Okay, let's go." Jesse replied, before they walked over to Benji.

From the looks of it, Benji was introducing himself to the Trebles. Unfortunately for him, the conversation was… awkward, to say the least. It involved Benji performing one of his magic tricks on the head Treble, Bumper Allen, which, obviously, weirded both him and the other Trebles out.

"Yeah, um, listen, can you move away, please? You're invading my airspace." Bumper told Benji, rudely. LP was somewhat surprised by Bumper's attitude.

"What?" Benji asked. "Go away. Shoo. I don't need weirdos like you standing around me." Bumper continued, still being what LP liked to call a 'douchepool'.

And speaking of LP, he saw what was going on, and he absolutely refused to stand Bumper's attitude towards Benji. LP hated people like Bumper. He dealt with them all the time in high school.

There wasn't a snowball's chance in Egypt that he was going to stand by and watch a nice guy like Benji be treated the way he was being treated.

So, LP walked over, and stood next to Benji. "Hey. What the Hell's your problem, man?" He asked Bumper, who looked directly at him. "You talking to me?" He asked, trying to sound tough.

"No, I'm talking to the homeless man flashing people in the parking lot. Yes, I'm talking to you. Who the Hell do you think you are, dude?" LP said, angrily.

Bumper smirked and laughed, as he told LP, 'I don't know who you think you are brah, but, around here, I'm a big name. So, like your buddy over here, why don't you hop along, and go back to where you came from so you can fuck each other's brains out?"

As Bumper and the other Trebles laughed, LP smirked, and said, "A big name around here, huh? That's funny."

As soon as he said this, Bumper and the other Trebles stopped laughing. "And why is it funny?" He asked, clearly missing the point that LP was attempting to convey. So, LP stepped forward, cleared his throat, and began to speak.

"In LA, we get guys like you all the time. Assholes who don't have a clue about how dickish they actually are, and who think they're better than everyone else around them the second they get a little taste of the big life. Get real, you fucking clown. Outside of here, who are you, honestly? Because in my town, and my book, you're nothing more than a stuck-up, pretentious airhead. And I will not stand for you talking to other people that way. No chance in Hell. So, if I were you, I'd think twice about talking to him or anyone else that way again. Have a lovely day, Sir Douchebag." LP said, before bowing, and walking away, Benji in tow.

As they walked up to Jesse to continue walking around the campus, hopefully without having to deal with more assholes like Bumper, an awestruck Jesse said to LP, "That… was awesome." This made LP smile like he hadn't all day, not since breakfast, at least.

"Thanks for sticking up for me, LP. I didn't expect that." Benji thanked LP. "Don't mention it, Benji. I've dealed with enough bullshit like that in my life. I'm not gonna sit back and watch others go through it, too." LP said, smiling as they walked toward a podium.

Suddenly, at the exact same moment, Jesse and LP's eyes widened, for they both saw someone that they recognized: a certain short brunette with a bun in her hair named Beca Mitchell. " _It's her."_ The boys thought at the same time.

* * *

As Chloe finally finished explaining what it took all but _three minutes_ (Beca counted) to say about the Acapella groups at Barden, Beca smiled, not a real smile, more of an 'I don't care' smile, and said, "Sorry, but, it's not really my thing. So, I'll see you later." She said, before walking off.

As Beca left, Aubrey looked to Chloe, and just from the look on Aubrey's face, Chloe could tell that she was on the verge of panic.

"What… are we gonna do?" Aubrey asked, stress ever so evident in her voice. "Calm down, Bree. We'll figure things out. Hey listen, I was thinking-"

But before Chloe could finish her sentence, she saw someone. A guy, wearing a black beanie, a gray and black hoodie, and jeans, who was walking with two other guys. He was looking at something, or someone.

One of the other guys, a dude with black hair, was also looking at something, or someone. What it was didn't matter to Chloe. What mattered was the guy wearing a beanie.

At that moment, Chloe had an idea. An awful idea. A wonderful, awful idea.

She tapped Aubrey's shoulder yet again, prompting Aubrey to look at her. "Yeah?" She asked. Chloe pointed in the direction of LP. "See that guy?" She asked. "The one with curly hair and lame clothes?" Aubrey asked. "No! Not that guy. The other guy." Chloe pointed towards the three gents. "The pretty boy with a blue T-shirt on?" Aubrey asked once more, her eyebrows raised. Chloe rolled her eyes, and pointed directly at LP McDaniel. "NO! The one with the beanie."

Aubrey then looked in the direction of LP, and saw him. "What about him?" She asked. Chloe smiled, and said, "I had an idea. You might not like it, but, if you just listen-"

At that point, Aubrey had heard enough. She knew what Chloe was suggesting. And there was no way she was gonna go through with it. "No. We are not doing that, Chloe! We can't just start our run by breaking tradition! Do you not realize that there has never been a single guy in the Bellas?!" Aubrey frantically asked.

"Yes, I realize that, but, maybe this could be a nice change of pace, for once! I mean, he's not exactly unattractive, and, for all we know, he could be a perfectly nice guy with a good voice! Besides, we're running out of options, anyway." Chloe attempted to explain her idea, and tried to reason with Aubrey.

Aubrey was unsure of what to do. On the one hand, she knew Chloe had a point. On the other, having a guy of all people in the Bellas was something that had never been done before. Would it work?

"You know what? To Hell with it! Excuse me!" Chloe said, calling out to LP, who now looked in her direction, along with the other guys.

"Chloe!" Aubrey attempted to protest, but, at that point, it was too late. Chloe had LP's attention. "Are you talking to me?" He asked. Chloe nodded her head. "Yeah, I am!" She said.

"Okay, good. Now I know that it's me you're talking to, and not the homeless guy flashing people in the parking lot." LP joked, which earned confused looks from both Aubrey and Chloe.

"That was a joke." Jesse said, bluntly. "Oh. Okay! Hey, um, could you come over here for a minute? Just you, the guy with the beanie, please? We need to talk to you." Chloe said, with a chipper voice.

LP gave a thumbs up, and, before walking over to the stand, turned to Jesse and Benji. "I'm gonna see what this is all about. You guys go on without me, okay? I'll catch up with you, later." He told them.

Jesse and Benji nodded their heads. "Sure, man. See ya!" Jesse said, as he and Benji walked off. "Bye, dude!" Benji waved, and LP waved back, a friendly smile on both of their faces.

Then, LP walked over to the stand, and stood before Aubrey and Chloe. "Hi." He said. "Hi! I'm Chloe, and this is Aubrey. I called you over, because we're the captains of an Acapella group, the Bellas." Chloe explained, as Aubrey looked at LP uncomfortably.

"Bellas… doesn't Bella mean 'beautiful' in Italian?" LP asked. Chloe nodded her head. "Yeah! It does! That's kinda the point. See, we're part of an all-girls acapella group, and it's been that way for a while, now."

"But, in light of… recent events, we've gotten less and less people signing up to join the Bellas. So, naturally, desperate times call for desperate measures. And, against my better judgement, we're considering letting a guy join the Bellas. And, well, Chloe was considering you." Aubrey continued for Chloe.

As LP took in everything that was being told to him, he was starting to wonder what it might be like to be in a group full of girls, all of them doing Acapella, and he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to do it.

"I… I honestly don't know. I'm into music, but I'm not really sure if I want to sing in front of a bunch of people. However, I will keep it in mind, if that's okay with you?" LP said, genuinely conflicted on what he wanted to do.

Chloe nodded her head, and, at that point, LP could see disappointment in her eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, that's okay. Um, oh! Auditions are on Saturday morning. Maybe you could swing by?" She asked. "Sure! I can do Saturday! My schedule is, for now, totally clear!" LP responded.

"Great! So, Saturday?" Chloe asked with a smile on her face. LP chuckled, and said, "Sure. I'll be there! Goodbye!" He said, waving as he walked away.

As soon as he was out of sight, Aubrey walked up to Chloe, and said, "You do know that you have to take full credit for this idea, right?" The blonde asked. "Yeah, I know." Chloe responded.

"And if anything goes wrong, I will personally hold you responsible, right?" Aubrey prodded. "Yeah, I know." Chloe repeated herself. Then, Aubrey went back to where she was standing, as she continued to hope that more people would show up.

All the while, the only thing going through Chloe's mind was, " _Who was that guy? I guess I'll have to find out."_

 _Author's Note: To all those who followed and favorited, thank you! I really appreciate it! Also, for all who are reading this story, I want you to guess what LP's initials stand for! Every chapter, I'll drop a hint as to what it is, until I finally reveal his real name. Anywho, thank you all for reading, please leave a review with your feedback and thoughts on_ _the chapter and, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, and I'm going to bed!_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: _Audition_

LP was alone in the dorm room. When he came back from the activities fair, he found that Jesse and Benji were not there. He figured that they were still out, so, he decided to work a little on some mixes.

He sat on his bed, clicking his fingers on the keyboard of his computer. He was editing together two songs on iTunes, mixing and mashing them together, and adding in his own beats.

The two songs in question were 'Let My Love Open The Door', by Pete Townsend, and 'Baby', by Carla Thomas. He loved the two songs, and bonded with June over them, who loved both just as much as he did.

 _When people keep repeating-_

 _Baby,_

 _That you'll never fall in love…_

 _Oh, Baby…_

 _When everybody keeps retreating,_

 _You know I love to call you 'Baby'..._

 _And you can't seem to get enough,_

 _B-A-B-Y, Baby_

 _Let my love open the door,_

 _B-A-B-Y, Baby._

"Pete Townsend and Carla Thomas, eh?" Jesse said, startling LP, who turned around to look at him. "Jesus, you scared me." He said. Jesse shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry. From now on, I'll knock first, alright?"

LP smiled, and said, "Great." He then noticed that Benji was absent. "Hey, Jesse. Where's Benji?" He asked. "He's still at the activities fair, looking to see if there's a magician club." Jesse said, shaking his head.

LP chuckled, and went back to mixing the songs together. "You know, I caught a little taste of what you're working on. It's pretty good." Jesse said.

"Thanks, man." LP said, smiling. "So… you're into mixing? Music, I mean." Jesse asked.

LP nodded his head. "Yeah. I've been mixing all kinds of music ever since Freshman year of high school." He explained, as Jesse listened intently.

"What about you? What's your story? What was high school like, for you?" LP asked Jesse, who, in turn, stroked his chin, thinking on his high school experiences.

"My high school experience was okay. I didn't have too many friends, but the friends I did have had a lot of the same interests as me. You know, movies, filmmaking, stuff like that." Jesse explained.

"Ah. I see. So, about movies…" LP started, before Jesse finished for him with, "Yeah. I love movies. Love 'em. Ever since I was a kid, it's been my dream to get one released to theaters."

LP was surprised and glad that he met someone like Jesse. A guy who liked movies almost as much as he did, and who wanted to make movies? He struck gold.

"Did you ever have a film class in high school?" LP asked Jesse, who shook his head. "No. Unfortunately, the school I went to didn't have a film program, which sucked big-time." Jesse told him.

"Yeah, that does suck. Still, at least you never lost your passion. What are some of your favorite movies?" LP asked. "Some of mine? Hmm… well, I love Star Wars, obviously, Lord of the Rings is high up, especially Return of the King, The Shawshank Redemption, and, honestly, there are too many to count. What about you?"

LP didn't even need to think about what movies he considered to be his favorites. "You ever hear of a movie called Heat? That's probably my favorite movie. Another one is Collateral. And I love Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Toy Story, Saving Private Ryan, Blade Runner, Indiana Jones, Robocop, and Punch-Drunk Love. Those are just a few on my list of favorites."

"Fortunately for the both of us, I've seen all of those movies. And I love all of 'em!" Jesse replied. "Yup. So, we have a lot in common? Who'd have figured?" LP asked him.

"Yeah, I guess we do. Hey, listen, I've got a job here on campus that I have to go to, so, I'll see you later." Jesse said. "Cool. See ya, later!" LP said, as he plugged his headphones in. At the same time, Jesse walked out the door, and started making his way to his new place of work.

At that moment, LP played his new mix, and laid down on his bed. He closed his eyes, and proceeded to rest them, slowly drifting off to sleep.

* * *

When he woke up, LP found that the song was still playing, just on repeat. He stretched his tired arms, and yawned a little.

He then pulled his phone from out of his pants pocket, and saw what time it was: 6:05. " _Damn. Did I really sleep that long? Oh, well. Man, am I hungry. I better get off my ass to go get some-"_

At that moment, his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a styrofoam box of food on the desk. Smiling, he walked over to the desk, and saw a note attached to it. He picked up the note, and chuckled as he read it.

" _You were asleep when I came back, so, I grabbed you some food from a local diner. It'll probably taste fine."-Jesse_

LP smiled gratefully, and opened the box. Inside was a grilled cheese sandwich and fries, as well as two packs of ketchup. "Awesome." He said, pulling the sandwich out of the box, and taking a bite. It tasted good. No, fuck that, it tasted amazing! For LP, it was infinitely better than the grilled cheese sandwiches served for lunch back in high school.

As he sat down at the desk, he plugged his headphones into his phone, and played a song: 'Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime', by Beck. As the song started, he began to sing along with the lyrics.

 _Change your heart…_

 _Look around you..._

 _Change your heaaarrrtt…_

 _It will astound you..._

 _And I need your loving…_

 _Like the_ _sunshine..._

 _And everybody's gotta learn sometime…_

 _Everybody's gotta learn sometime…_

 _Oooh-hoo-hooo…_

"YOU CAN SING!" A female voice exclaimed, behind him. LP jumped, and turned around to see Chloe Beale, her hair wrapped in a towel, smiling bigger than the size of the Empire State Building.

"WHOA! What the fuck?!" He asked, clearly startled. She giggled a little. "Sorry. It's just… I heard you singing something, and I was interested."

LP shrugged his shoulders, and said, with a hint of sarcasm, "Well, you heard me sing. Are you happy?" Chloe shook her head, and said, "Actually, yes, I am. Do you not know how good your singing voice is?" She asked.

"I don't think it's that great. That, and I don't really care. And, still, my main question remains: what are you doing in my room?" He asked. Chloe sighed a little. "Sorry. It's just… I think you have a good voice. And, like I said earlier, my group could use people with talent, like you."

Hearing Chloe's reasoning, LP did feel a little sorry for her. He didn't mean to be angry at her. He knew she meant no real harm, and didn't mean to startle him.

"Look, I'm sorry that I got a little irritated." He said, apologetically. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just barged in. Tell you the truth, this isn't the first time I've done that, today." Chloe apologized.

LP sighed. "It's okay." Chloe nodded her head a little, before saying, "Sooo… what song was that?" LP looked up at her. "Oh, that? Um, that was 'Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime', by Beck. It's from a movie." He said.

"What movie?" Chloe questioned. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." LP replied. "Oh! I haven't seen that, before." She said. "You should. It's a great movie."

She looked awkwardly around the room for a few moments, before saying, "Can you sing it again? Or could you sing something?" She asked.

LP looked down at the ground, once more. "I don't know. I don't really like singing for other people." He explained. "Oh. Okay." Chloe said, turning to walk off.

LP could see that, while not intentional, she was making him sad. "Goddamit…" He muttered under his breath. At that moment, Chloe turned around. "What is it?" She asked.

He sighed, and said, "Alright. I'll sing for you." Much to his surprise, Chloe jumped up and down, saying, "Yay!" She did so over and over again.

As he gave a small smile, LP said, "So, what do you want me to sing?" Chloe then stopped jumping. "Sing anything you want." She said.

For a few moments, LP thought about what he wanted to sing, before finally thinking of one that he loved, and would be comfortable singing in front of her. So, he cleared his throat, and started.

LP: _And now, the end is near…_

 _And so I face_

 _The final curtain…_

 _My friend,_

 _I'll say it clear._

 _I'll state my case_

 _Of which I'm certain…_

 _I've lived_

 _A life that's full._

 _I've traveled each and every highway…_

 _But more,_

 _Much more than this_

 _I did it_

 _My way…_

 _Regrets_

 _I've had a few._

 _But, then again_

 _Too few to mention…_

 _I did_

 _What I had to do,_

 _And saw it through_

 _Without exemption._

 _I planned each charted course._

 _Each careful step_

 _Along the byway._

 _And more,_

 _Much more than this,_

 _I did it_

 _My way._

 _Yes, there were times_

 _I'm sure you knew!_

 _When I bit off_

 _More than I could chew!_

 _But through it all,_

 _When there was doubt_

 _I ate it up,_

 _And spit it out!_

 _I faced it all!_

 _And I stood tall!_

 _And did it my way!_

He was done at that point. He looked at her, and, from the looks of it, Chloe was impressed. In fact, she started clapping. "That was awesome! I loved it!" She exclaimed, making LP smile.

"Thank you!" He said, genuinely happy. "So, will you consider auditioning?" She asked. He nodded his head, and said, "Alright. I'll audition. Who knows? It could be fun."

"Great! So, Saturday morning, at 9:30. Be there!" Chloe said, as she turned to leave. Then, just as soon as she was about to open the door, she turned around, and walked back over to him.

"I never caught your name." She said. "Uh… I call myself 'LP'." He said. Then, Chloe outstretched her hand. "I'm Chloe." She said, as he took her hand, and shook it.

* * *

SATURDAY

* * *

On Saturday morning, LP woke up to the sound of his alarm clock going off. It had been a long week, and it was somewhat hard to maneuver his schedule, taking into account how large the campus was.

Still, he liked his classes. He had a few with both Benji and Jesse. He had chemistry with Benji, Film with Jesse, and English with both. He didn't have any classes with Chloe, though, or her friend, for that matter.

LP turned off his alarm, and rubbed his eyes. He realized that both Jesse and Benji were gone. "Probably went to the audition." He said, talking to himself.

LP got out of bed, quickly got dressed into a white T-shirt, a brown leather jacket, and a pair of jeans. He brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and put on his beanie. And he was out the door in under a minute.

* * *

LP walked into the building where Chloe said auditions would be taking place. When he got there, he was surprised to find that there were quite a few people in line to audition.

" _Jeez, there are more people into this acapella thing than I thought."_ LP thought to himself. Then, he shrugged, and stood next to a girl he didn't really recognize, but looked like someone he could have sworn he'd seen somewhere.

He stood awkwardly next to her, as she texted someone on her phone. Not knowing what else to do, he pulled out his phone and headphones, and pulled up his 'Music' app. Then, just as he was about to plug his headphones into his phone, he heard the girl next to him say, "You shouldn't do that."

He looked at her, and took note of what she looked like, so as to remember if he recognized her. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind.

"Why shouldn't I listen to my music?" He asked. "Because then, you'll probably miss your chance to audition." She responded, before going back to her phone. "Oh." He said, looking in the other direction.

After a few awkward moments of silence, she looked up at him again, and said, "I'm Stacie, by the way." LP nodded his head, and outstretched his hand. "I'm LP."

As they shook hands, she asked, "'LP'? As in, 'long playing'?" This made LP laugh a little. "No, not as in 'long playing'. It's the initials of my name. I just don't like to tell people my name, so, 'LP' is what I call myself." He explained.

"Oh, okay. I get it. That's actually kinda cool." She said. "Thanks. So, you're auditioning?" He asked. Stacie nodded her head. "Yeah, I need something to do, and I have a pretty good voice, so, why not audition?" She said. "Cool. Cool, cool." LP responded.

"What about you?" She asked. "I was roped into it by a redhead. She convinced me to audition." He explained. "Oh. So, which group are you auditioning for?" Stacie asked.

LP sighed, and chuckled a little, before saying, "Believe it or not, I'm auditioning for the Bellas." He said a little sheepishly. "No shit?" She asked. "No shit. What about you?" He asked.

"I'm auditioning for the Bellas, too." Stacie responded. "Cool. So, we might be on the same team, right?" LP asked. "Right." She said, nodding her head.

"Cool. Cool, cool. If we do both end up on the Bellas, I look forward to working with you, Stacie." He said, earnestly. "Same, LP." Stacie said, with a small smile.

* * *

It took what seemed like forever for the two to get to the front. Throughout the auditions, LP heard all kinds of singing voices, plenty of good, and plenty of bad. And, for him, when they were bad, they were pretty terrible.

Eventually, he made it to the front, being the last person to audition. As Stacie walked off the stage, she said, "Good luck, dude. See you, later!" As she walked off, he smiled.

Then, he was called back to reality by Chloe's familiar voice saying, "Next!" He took a deep breath, as he walked onto the stage, thinking, " _Here we go…"_

As he walked onto the stage, he saw Chloe and her blonde friend sitting at a desk, and he also saw the Treblemakers, sitting on their asses, and cracking jokes.

"Hey, look who it is! It's the badass from yesterday! How's it hanging, loser?" Bumper said, making both himself and the other Trebles laugh, while LP glared.

"I'm pretty good, honestly. Don't mess that up for me, wouldja?" He said, sarcastically. "Boys, boys, whatever beef you have, take it somewhere else, please?" Aubrey said.

"Would you mind introducing yourself?" Chloe asked, looking in LP's direction. "Sure. I'm LP McDaniel, and I'm here because someone I know convinced me into auditioning." He introduced, before shooting a subtle wink at the redhead sitting before him, who promptly smiled in kind.

"'LP'? What kinda name is that?" Bumper asked. "What kind of name is 'Bumper'? You ever ask yourself that?" LP asked in retaliation, making Bumper shut up.

"So, what should I sing?" LP asked Chloe and Aubrey. "You were supposed to prepare 'Since U Been Gone', by Kelly Clarkson." Aubrey said, twitching a little.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know." LP said, honestly. "That's okay. Just sing whatever you want." Chloe said, as she calmed Aubrey done.

Like the night he and Chloe talked, he had to think for a moment before finally coming to a conclusion as to what he wanted to sing. So, he cleared his throat, and got started.

 _I need somebody…_

 _Not just anybody._

 _Ya know I need someone._

 _When I was younger,_

 _So much younger then today._

 _I never needed anybody's help in any way._

 _And now, these days are gone_

 _I'm not so self assured._

 _Now I'm fine,_

 _I changed my mind._

 _I've opened up the doors._

 _Help me if you can I'm feeling down,_

 _And I do appreciate you being 'round,_

 _Help me get my feet back on the ground,_

 _Won't you please,_

 _Please_

 _Help me if you can I'm feeling down._

And with that, he was finished. He looked at his captive audience. Bumper yawned. Chloe clapped. And Aubrey looked at him with uncertainty.

"We'll consider you. For now, just wait." Aubrey commanded. The boy nodded his head in understanding. "Okay." He remarked, before walking off the stage, and back the way he came.

As he walked off, he noticed someone that he recognized: the girl. " _But… auditions are over. I was the last guy."_ He thought to himself, as Beca walked towards the stage, and prepared to audition.

He then watched as she sat down, and grabbed a cup that he noticed earlier on the table that Chloe and Aubrey sat up. He saw as she tapped the cup, and placed it up and down multiple times. And, finally, he heard her voice.

Beca: _I got my ticket for the long way round._

 _Two bottles of Whiskey for the way._

 _And I sure would like some sweet company,_

 _And I'm leaving tomorrow._

 _What do you say?_

 _When I'm gone..._

 _When I'm gone._

 _You're gonna miss me when I'm gone._

 _You're gonna miss me by my hair,_

 _You're gonna miss me everywhere._

 _Oh…_

 _You're gonna miss me when I'm gone._

* * *

Chloe clapped, and smiled at the young woman that sat on the stage floor. "That was awesome! Thank you for auditioning! For a while, I thought you weren't gonna show up!" She admitted, as the girl stood up. "How was that, blondie? Are you satisfied with your entertainment, today?" The brunette somewhat sarcastically asked.

Aubrey bit her lip, and looked at her with uncertainty. "That was... good. We'll keep you under consideration." Aubrey said to the girl. "Consider wisely, because judging by the amount of people that couldn't sing here, especially that one chick with boobs that looked like bologna, you're gonna need good singers. Otherwise, you're just scraping the bottom of the barrel." She coolly said, turning her back to the audience, and walking towards the exit.

"Oh, wait! We need to get your name if we want to consider you! Can you give us your name?" Chloe politely asked. In an instant, the brunette turned to face the girls seated at a desk once more, and said, "Beca Mitchell, at your service."

 _Author's Note: Would it surprise you to learn that these chapters, on average, take me around four hours to write? Still, if it means entertaining you guys, then I'm more than happy to do it! To the people that have started following me and my story, thank you! I really appreciate it! Also, as promised, I will hint at LP's real name. Hint#1: The 'L' stands for the same name of the protagonist of a certain video game, and the 'P' stands for one of the most popular baby names in the 1960s and 1970s. Anywho, thank you all for reading, please leave a review giving your thoughts and feedback, and, as always, take care of yourselves, and have a lovely evening! Until next time, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, and I'm gonna go to bed, soon!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: _Fingers Crossed_

As LP walked back to his dorm room, only one question was on his mind: " _Who was that girl? I've seen her all around campus, and it looked like she was auditioning for the Bellas. Maybe that'll give me an opportunity to get to know her."_

For now, he shrugged it off, and walked back into his dorm room, closing the door behind him. It was empty, of course. At this point, he had become used to Benji and Jesse being off somewhere on their own.

Sighing, he sat down at the desk, and thought about what he wanted to do. "Why don't I get back to writing that song I've wanted to make? I haven't worked on it in, what, three weeks?" He said, talking to himself out loud.

LP proceeded to take his notebook, where he wrote down all of his ideas for songs, his sketches of characters from various films, television shows, videogames, and comic books, and short stories.

There was one short story in that notebook he was particularly fond of: "The Flying Girl." It was about a girl who discovers she has superpowers, and who decides to put them to good use. It was a favorite of his, and a favorite of June's, as well. She loved it, and would ask him to read it to her before bed on a weekly basis.

LP smiled at the memories of reading the short story to her, and her enjoyment of it. Then, he snapped back to reality, remembering what he wanted to do.

" _Focus. You've been working on this thing for forever. You need to finish it, sometime."_ He thought to himself, before grabbing his pencil, and putting it to the piece of paper in front of him.

* * *

As he wrote for five minutes more, LP failed to notice the door to his dorm room being quietly opened. And he also failed to notice someone walking up to him with a red blindfold in her hands.

Within three seconds of the stranger's arrival, she wrapped the blindfold around LP's head, catching him off guard.

"What the fuck?" He said, confused as to what was going on. "Relax, Tall, Dark, and Obviously-Emo. I'm not gonna hurt you." Aubrey said, in a monotonous voice.

"Oh. Well, that's a relief. Now, do you mind explaining why I have a blindfold on my head?" LP said, sarcastically, as Aubrey shook her head. "It's tradition. Chloe and I are already doing that enough by letting you into the Bellas. Now, get off your ass, and follow me." She commanded.

Not wanting to pick a fight, LP sighed, and said, "Okay." He then got out of the chair, and let Aubrey lead him out of the room to God-knows-where.

* * *

As they walked through the halls, LP, having had enough of the silence between them, said, "You're Aubrey, right?" To his surprise, there was no response.

"Not up for talking, huh? Well, I just wanted to say, I'm-" He started, before being interrupted by Aubrey. "I know your name. It's LP, right?" She asked, before LP nodded his head.

"Soooo… where are you taking me?" LP asked, with slight sarcasm in his voice. "That's for you to find out. Now be quiet until we get there." Aubrey demanded. Knowing that he didn't want to piss her off, LP nodded his head, and said, "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

Once they got to where Aubrey wanted them to be, and where Chloe stood in front of a few other girls, LP found himself squished between two of said girls.

Then, one by one, Aubrey removed the blindfolds of each and every one of them, all the while naming names and giving people positions for where they'd be on the Bellas.

From what LP saw, almost all of the girls around him were confused. He scanned for any familiar faces, and came across two: Stacie, whom he'd met earlier at the audition, and the girl who he noticed around campus.

Not paying attention, LP failed to notice that Aubrey began talking to him and the other 'initiates'. "Hey! Dude, are you paying attention, or not?" Aubrey said, taking notice of LP.

Snapping back to reality, LP said, "Sorry, I got distracted for a sec." Glaring at him, Aubrey continued with what she was saying when LP didn't pay attention.

"As I was saying, we shall begin by drinking the blood of the sisters who came before you." Aubrey said, as she and Chloe came forward with a couple of cups and two bowls of what looked to LP like blood.

"Uh, that's not real blood, is it?" He asked, as Chloe handed him a cup. She laughed in response, and said, "No, it's Boone's Farm." She said, winking. "Aw, nuts! I was hoping you guys were secretly vampires!" LP joked.

After quickly drinking the 'blood', LP, along with the other girls, listened intently to Aubrey's next instruction. "Now, hold your scarf in your hand, and say, 'I, *sing your name*'."

The girls and LP did so, albeit a bit awkwardly, with him having a deeper voice than the others. Then, Aubrey continued. "...Promise to uphold the traditions of a Bella." She said, which the initiates repeated.

"And I also promise not to have sexual relations with a Treblemaker, or may my lungs be ripped out by wolves." Aubrey continued, which the initiates, especially LP, said awkwardly.

"But, I'm straight." He said, jokingly, prompting a rise of laughter from the other girls. "Then you should have no trouble with that rule." Chloe said, trying to talk through laughter.

Aubrey, on the other hand, was unamused, and rolled her eyes, before finishing with, "You are all Bellas, now." Then, she and Chloe hit on the lights, as the new Bellas, save for LP and Beca, cheered. As they did so, an overweight young woman with blonde hair grabbed one of the bowls of wine, and started guzzling the substance.

Chloe and Aubrey watched as the new recruits started talking to each other. "I think this'll work out. Don't you, Bree?" Chloe asked. Aubrey raised her eyes at the sight of these new 'Bellas', and wondered if she had made the right call in agreeing to this.

"Did we? I'm not really sure. Honestly, I'm kind of worried about the chick who didn't want to be a part of this, in the first place. But I'm even more worried about the guy. I don't know why, but there's something about him that I don't like." Aubrey said, as Chloe looked worriedly at her.

"Don't stress, Bree. Things will work out. We made the right call letting these guys become the new Bellas. So, here's to a new age." Chloe said, raising her own cup, and drinking from it. Aubrey smiled, and drank from her own. " _Please, God. Let this work out."_ She thought to herself doubtfully, all while she sipped her wine.

* * *

15 minutes later, LP, with his black shades on, found himself and, what Aubrey and Chloe referred to them as, his 'sisters in Acapella' at an amphitheater on campus. To his surprise, there were multiple students and groups crowding the place, and a DJ playing music. And, not to his surprise, there was alcohol. _Lots_ of alcohol.

"Ladies and guy, welcome to Aca-Initiation Night!" Aubrey said, as she, Chloe, and the new recruits stared in awe of the sight before them, LP looked on awkwardly, not sure what to make of his new situation.

"Let's get this party started, girls!" Chloe said, cheering. Then, the Bellas scattered, all going off to do their own things. Most of the girls went off to chat with other people, request songs, or get drunk. LP, on the other hand, didn't know what he wanted to do, at that point.

He had no interest in drinking, and for personal reasoning. He wasn't sure about requesting songs, either. So, that left LP with the option that he knew was the most necessary, but also the one he dreaded the most.

Sighing, LP walked off in the hopes of finding someone that he knew, maybe Jesse or Benji, if they were into this sort of thing. As he walked, he spotted Bumper, the ass that had irritated him since he arrived on campus, talking with another guy that he thought was part of the Trebles. Something about sleeping with Captain America or a great white shark.

LP shook his head, and grinned. " _They put up an asshole act, only to talk about that in their spare time. Irony!"_ He thought to himself, chuckling.

Then, he heard a familiar, albeit slurred, voice. "Beca! Becaw!" Jesse said. LP, happy that his friend was in this with him, walked in the direction from which he heard Jesse's voice, and saw his somewhat wasted friend standing in front of the girl.

Beca could see that this guy liked her. She knew that, and she respected it. At the same time, she was a little put off by Jesse's awkwardness. That, and she didn't really see how she and him had anything in common.

Jesse was more open, goofy, and culturally fluent. She, on the other hand, considered herself to be much more aloof, and sarcastic. Still, he wanted to socialize, so, in her mind, " _Let's see what he has to say."_

"Do my eyes deceive me, or are you officially a Barden Bella?" Jesse asked, his voice somewhat slurred. She smiled awkwardly, and said, "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

He smiled a little, and said, "How does it feel?" Putting more emphasis on and stretching out the word 'feel'. "Feels great." She said, trying to avoid talking to him, especially if he was just starting to get drunk.

"Are you trying to flirt, or get drunk? Because you can't do both at the same time, man." LP said, as he walked towards his nearly-intoxicated friend. " _Oh, thank God! This was getting weird. And hey, it's the guy in the Bellas! This should be interesting."_ Beca thought to herself.

"Hey, buddy! Looks like you're a Bella, too! How does it feel?" Jesse asked, turning to LP. A smug grin formed on his face, as LP scowled at the guy. "Ha ha. Very funny. I'm a guy in a girl's group with a girly name. Hardy har." LP said, sarcastically.

"Hey, man! Lighten up! I'm just joking… mostly." Jesse said, giggling a little. "So, coworker, are you gonna introduce me to your buddy?" Beca asked.

"Oh, where are my manners?!" Jesse asked, as he turned to LP. "Beca Mitchell, LP McDaniel. LP McDaniel, Beca Mitchell." He introduced the two to one another.

LP took out his right hand, offering it to Beca. "Howdy." He said, as she shook it. "Nice to meet you." Beca said, as they shook hands.

Once they were done being introduced to one another, Beca looked at Jesse, who, in turn, looked at LP. "So… I'm gonna go get you a drink!" Jesse said, as he went to do what he just said.

LP smiled a little, and shook his head. "He didn't even ask if I wanted one." He said, looking at Beca. "I know." She answered back.

"So, how do you like Barden, so far?" LP asked, somewhat awkwardly. He wanted to strike up a conversation with her, since he didn't really know anyone on campus, outside of Jesse and Benji.

"Eh, it's okay." Beca said, shrugging her shoulders. "A bit too preppy, but, I can manage." She continued. "I concur." He said, giving a small smile.

"How about you? Do you like it?" Beca asked. "I like it fine. I just kinda miss home, a little." LP answered her question.

"Oh, are you homesick?" She asked. He chuckled in response. "No, there's just… certain things at home that I miss." He told her. "You and me both. I miss my Mom. Tell you the truth, I didn't want to come here in the first place."

LP raised his eyebrows. "Really? Then, why are you here?" He asked, to which Beca sighed. "Well, I wanted to move to LA to become a DJ. I mix music, and bring together certain songs, y'know?" She explained. "I mix music, too. It's fun, and you get to decide what song goes with another song."

After he said that, he saw Beca genuinely smile. In every instance he had seen her, including his current interaction with her, he had never really seen her smile. But… something about her smile when he told her about his love of mixing music… it felt genuine.

"Awesome. But, anyway, my Dad wanted me to get my college degree, and so, he had me booked on a flight here. Or, at least that was the original plan. He told me that, if I at least join one club, and, at the end of the year, if I still don't like it here, he'll pay for my flight to LA." She said, reverting back to her usual, generally unhappy looking persona.

"Geez. That sucks." LP said, and as soon as he did, Jesse came back, two drinks in both of his hands. "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! What's up, party people?! The sky! Ha ha ha! Anyway, here's your drink, buddy!" An even more nearly-intoxicated Jesse said, as he handed a drink to LP, and a drink to Beca.

"If you need me, I'll be talking with a few other folks. Have fun, y'all!" He said, whooping as he walked away. Then, as soon as he was out of sight, Beca and LP looked at each other for about five seconds, and burst out laughing.

"Oh, God. If he gets drunk, I'm gonna have to hear him whine about having a hangover during our shift." Beca said, as she popped open her beer. "You think you might have it bad? I'm his roommate! That means that my other roommate and I are gonna have to wake him up!" LP said, as he and Beca laughed once more.

"All jokes aside, here's to hoping that your year sucks." LP proclaimed, as he opened his beer, and raised it in Beca's direction. "Amen to that, 'LP'. Amen to that." She added in, as she and LP gently collided their drinks together, and sipped from them.

* * *

He didn't think he would before, but LP had to admit to himself that he was having a fun time. He enjoyed Beca's company, and he even liked talking with a (thankfully) not-drunk Jesse, whom LP managed to convince to stop drinking after two beers.

Then, he thought about something he never realized before: Benji wasn't there. As he and Jesse sat on some of the chairs at the amphitheater, sipping Sprite instead of Miller Light, he turned to his friend, and asked, "Was Benji with you? In fact, what group did you even get accepted into?" He asked.

Jesse stopped drinking from his can of Sprite, and frowned a little. "Uh… well, I got accepted into the Trebles. And Benji wasn't there. He auditioned, but he never got accepted, I think." Hearing this, LP frowned. Benji didn't deserve to be put off like that.

"Fuck. Now, you're in a group with that asshole, Bumper." LP said, spitefully. "Hey, come on, man. Just because I'm in a group run by an asshole, who I'll admit is followed by assholes, doesn't mean we can't still be friends, or that I'm gonna shit on you for being in the Bellas. Cool?" Jesse said in response.

LP smiled. "Glad to know you have my back, Jesse. Now, I guess I'll just worry about my front." He said, as Jesse laughed. "Yeah. Do you wanna hug it out?" Jesse asked, smirking a little.

"Hell, no. Even with me being a guy in an all-girl acapella group, I don't wanna ruin my reputation." LP responded, sarcastically. "Oh, of course!" Jesse continued in his own sarcastic tone.

* * *

At one point, LP found himself walking around aimlessly. Jesse had gone off to talk to some of the other Trebles, he couldn't find Beca, and Benji wasn't there. So, he decided to try and talk with some of the other Bellas.

As he walked around, Chloe caught him by surprise by tapping him on the shoulders. As he turned around, she said, "Howdy doo, partner!" She did so in a rather unconvincing Southern accent. "Howdy, little lady. Can I help you with something? Need some cattle rastled?" He asked in his own Southern accent.

Chloe laughed, and smiled at him. "So, how do you like the world of Acapella, so far?" She asked. LP shrugged his shoulders. "Haven't gotten too much of a taste of it, yet." LP said, honestly.

"Well, you'll get there. Hopefully, you'll love it." She replied. "I hope I do, too." He said, a smile forming on his own face.

"Anyhow, I just wanted to welcome you to the Bellas. And I'm sorry about Aubrey seeming a little hesitant about it. She's just really stressed about being in charge of the Bellas." Chloe explained, as LP nodded his head in understanding.

"It's okay. I get it. Being in charge of a group of people sure as Hell can't be breezy." LP remarked. "Yeah. She's been up my butt a lot these past couple of weeks, and, tell you the truth, it's getting on my nerves. I love her, and I understand why she's acting this way, but, at the same time, I don't know how she'll be able to run the Bellas like this, y'know? So, please keep this in mind during the year, okay?"

LP understood clearly. He saw that Aubrey was uptight, and, from the way Chloe described things, she had reason to be. "Okay. I'll try not to get on her bad side. Emphasis on the word 'try'." He said, to which Chloe smiled at him.

"Awesome. I'm gonna go talk to her, might grab a drink while I'm at it." She replied, winking at him as she turned around. And all LP could do was smile. " _Well, it looks like this is a step in the right direction. Some friendly faces, and potential people to get to know better. What could go wrong?"_

Just as he thought that, the same girl who drank more of the wine walked in his direction. "What's up, brother?" She said, in a heavy Australian accent.

LP looked at her, confused. "Are you talking to me?" He asked. "No one else I'm interested in talking to, so, yeah. What's your name, pretty boy?" She asked, making LP look at the ground in embarrassment.

"It's, uh… LP. You?" He asked, before looking directly at the rather large, blonde woman. "Fat Amy, at your service." She said, placing her right arm over her chest, and bowing a little.

"You… you call yourself 'Fat Amy'?" He asked, befuddled by the absurdity of the situation. "Yeah. I was called it back in Tasmania, and I figured I should just stick with it, y'know?" The woman, Fat Amy, explained.

"Oh… 'kay." LP said, still a little confused. "So, what about your name? I mean, do you just call yourself 'LP', or is that your actual name?" She asked, a bit sarcastically.

LP chuckled, and said, "No, it's not my real name. I have a name, I just hate it to death. So, I figured I'd make a new one for myself. And, for the most part, it stuck to me like glue."

"Oh, okay. Cool, cool, cool, cool." Fat Amy responded, to which LP shook his head a little. "So, Tasmania. Was it nice there?" He asked. "Yeah, it was nice, for the most part. You know, when I wasn't wrestling alligators, of course."

LP's eyes widened at that comment. "Holy shit. You wrestled alligators?" He asked. "Maybe…" Fat Amy responded in a singsong voice. "Uh… okay, then."

* * *

The rest of the night was mostly uneventful. LP did catch up with Jesse and Beca again, and the three did stay together for the rest of the party.

When they were together, there was something that Jesse noticed about Beca. When it was just him and her, their interactions were more awkward, with him being the one making an attempt to strike up a conversation.

But when LP was around, he saw something change in her eyes. She was more open, more humorous, more susceptible to conversation with them.

Only one thing was in Jesse's mind as he observed this: " _She's interested in him."_

* * *

As the party ended, and the acapella groups parted ways, and after Aubrey gathered the Bellas together. LP finally got a good look at who he would be working with for a while. There was, of course, the people he knew, being Aubrey, Chloe, Beca, and Fat Amy. And he was surprised to find that Stacie, the girl in the line from earlier, was also there.

Everyone else he had no clue who they were, and had never seen them around campus. If he could say anything about the Bellas, it was that they sure as hell had a diverse array of folks.

"Listen up! I need all of you to show up to the first practice, tomorrow at 9:00 A.M. in the auditorium. I need a crew that can look good and kick ass at the same time. And I want to shape you all into being that." Aubrey said, somewhat slyly, as she looked at the new recruits.

"So, thirty seconds flat from now, we don't go home, we don't pack. In thirty seconds flat from now, we are on our separate ways, right?" LP asked, prompting the other girls, especially Aubrey, who looked as though a vein was about to pop on her head, stared at him.

"It was a reference to a movie. Sorry." He sheepishly admitted, rubbing the back of his head. Aubrey then calmed down, and finished what she was saying. "Very well. Get some rest, girls and guy. We have a lot of training to do."

They parted ways, after that. As LP walked back to his dorm room, he thought quietly to himself. He was hopeful that this would all work out. That he'd made the right call in joining the Bellas. That he would make some new friends. And, most importantly, that this wouldn't end in disaster.

" _Fingers crossed."_

 _Author's Note: And there's Chapter 4! Sorry for the delay, but school has been a fucking bitch for me, lately. Hopefully, I'll have more time for my stories now that Winter Break is coming up! Sagittarius, thank you and congratulations for being the first person to review this story! No, his name isn't Lucifer Peter, though, I do admit, that would be a pretty badass name for a character. Speaking of which, time for another hint! The L stands for the name of the lead character in an Oscar winning film from this decade, and the P is the name of a character in the same movie. And to all the people who followed and favorited this story, thank you very much! You guys motivate me to keep writing! Anywho, thank you all for reading, please leave a review leaving your thoughts or things that you think I can improve on with this story, and, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, and I hope that you all drive safely, in case you do drive!_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Disaster Zone

The sound of an alarm clock was the thing that woke Beca up. She hated the sound of the thing, and she especially hated waking up at, what she called, the 'ass crack of dawn'.

She yawned, and stretched out her arms, eyes barely opened. _"Random thoughts, Sunday: I really, really don't wanna go to practice, today. I'd prefer if it were rescheduled for tomorrow. That, and my Spider-Sense is telling me that this Aubrey chick doesn't like me."_

But, nevertheless, Beca knew that she couldn't skip, or else Aubrey's opinion of her, regardless of what it was now, would definitely be lower than it was before.

So, she got out of bed, making sure that her roommate, Kimmy Jin, whom she was certain hated her, wasn't in the room. She wasn't. _"Good."_ She thought to herself, as she put on a new pair of jeans, and a T-shirt.

* * *

Dressed, she walked toward the dorm bathroom with a toothbrush in one hand, and some toothpaste in the other. Then, out of boredom, she started hummed to herself as she walked to said bathroom. The song: 'Titanium'.

Once she got to the bathroom door, her desire to hum any longer had died. Her desire to sing a little, on the other hand, had just come into her mind. And, as she walked into the bathroom, she let her voice be heard.

BECA: You shout it out,

But I can't hear a word you say.

I'm talking loud,

Not saying much.

I'm criticized,

But all your bullets ricochet.

Shoot me down…

But I get up.

I'm bulletproof,

Nothing to lose.

Fire away, fire away.

Ricochet,

You take your aim.

Fire away, fire away.

Shoot me down-

And then, she stopped. She was at the sink, and probably wouldn't be able to sing much, anymore, considering the fact that she would be brushing her teeth.

Beca then took the cap off her toothpaste, and squeezed some on the toothbrush. Then, once there was an amount of paste that she felt was sufficient, she set the tube down, and started brushing.

As she did so, she thought to herself some more. _"Why do we even need to get up at 8:30 just to go to an auditorium on campus? Hell, I could probably leave at 8:55 and get there just as quickly! But, oh well. I guess you can't have everything. And, if suffering through this means a plane ticket to L.A, then it's worth it."_

After two minutes of brushing, Beca decided it was time to step, and swished whatever was left of the paste, only to spit it out. Then, she turned on the cold water for a moment or two, and looked down at the mixture of paste and spit, and watched as it went down the drain.

Next, Beca walked back to her dorm room, and opened the door. She set the toothpaste and toothbrush back in her bag, and walked back out the door, closing it behind her.

* * *

As she walked to the auditorium, Beca had her headphones in. Any time she could listen to music, she took the opportunity to do so. She had all kinds of music: pop, country, classical, rock, even rap. And she loved all of them, equally.

Beca was so invested in her music, that she neglected to realize she was already in front of the auditorium. "Well, here goes nothing." She said to herself, opening the door, and breathing in, before walking once more. All the while, her music rang in her ear.

 _Yeah, yeah._

 _Yeah, yeah._

 _Yeah, yeah._

Finally, she made her way into the auditorium, and found that just about everyone she met last night, including the enigma himself, LP, was there, with the exception of one of them.

"Speak of the devil. I was beginning to worry you wouldn't show up. Now, could you please take a seat?" Aubrey asked, eyeing one of two empty seats.

"Yeah, sure." Beca replied, taking a seat as she did so. "Thank you. As I was saying, since she-who-shall-no-longer-be-named slept with the enemy, she is hereby banned from the Bellas." Aubrey explained, much to the shock of the other Bellas, especially Beca and LP.

"Wait, so, that oath was serious?" LP questioned. "Dixie-Chicks serious, LP. This is war, folks, and I am not gonna let any of us be associated with the enemy. If we let the Trebles penetrate us, then we give them our power."

"Pretty sure you've never been to a war, or needed to use the word 'penetrate'." Amy interjected in a low voice. Then, Aubrey gave the girl a glare that sent shivers down Amy's spine.

Recognizing that Aubrey was unnecessarily intimidating the girls, LP stepped in. "I'm with Amy on this one. Pretty sure we don't need to use the word 'penetrate', in this situation."

An increasingly irritated Aubrey turned her attention to LP. "I don't need comments from the peanut gallery." She hissed. "But, I was just-" LP tried to explain himself, only for Aubrey to interrupt him by saying, "I. Don't. Care."

She sighed, only to breathe in a little, and put on what LP called 'a Stepford Smile'. "Okay, back on topic. Since one of this hearty crew broke all too easily just on the first night, I'm wondering if anyone else broke the rules? So, who was it? Hmm?" She asked, eyeing all the Bellas.

She walked amongst them, looking each and every one of them in the eye, including LP. "Don't look at me. I could give two shits about a one-night stand." He said, causing an eruption of laughter amongst the girls, and breaking the tension in the room a little.

Aubrey noticed this, and leaned in closer to him. "Shut it." She said, rather bluntly. LP slowly nodded his head. "Okay."

Putting the 'Stepford Smile' back on her face, Aubrey continued surveying the Bellas, looking down on each and every one of them, until she came across a particularly nervous looking girl.

"Mary Elise… do you have anything you'd like to share with us?" She asked the girl, Mary Elise, if LP's hearing was correct. The poor girl was shaking in her shoes, and biting her lip. All the while, Aubrey stared down at the girl with a condescending look in her eye.

Finally, Mary Elise gave in. "It was an accident. I didn't mean to-" She started, but before she even had the opportunity to explain herself, she was cut off by Aubrey. "Get out. Take your chair."

"But, I-", Mary Elise tried again, only for Aubrey to cut her off once more. "GO." Mary Elise, finally realizing how serious Aubrey was, got up, and grabbed her chair.

LP couldn't help but watch with sympathy as the humiliated girl grabbed the chair, and walked out of the room, sniffling a little.

Not wanting to stand back and watch this happen, he got out of his chair, and walked over to the girl, stopping her dead in her tracks. The other Bellas, especially Beca, Chloe, and Aubrey, looked at him, all thinking different things.

In Beca's mind: _"Wow, that guy has a pair of metaphorical balls."_ In Chloe's: _"Uh, oh. He's gonna get in trouble."_ And in Aubrey's: _"WHAT. THE FUCK. IS HE DOING?"_

LP ignored the stares of his new 'sisters', and said, plainly and clearly, "I'm sorry. You don't deserve this. And you don't need to take the chair with you."

Mary Elise went from confused to smiling, and put the paper in her pocket. "Thank you. I appreciate it." She then continued walking away, but without the chair in tow. She appreciated the gesture, and that was enough for both her and LP.

Speaking of which, the satisfied guy walked back to his seat, ignoring the stares of all the other Bellas. He sat down, and looked around him. "What?" He asked.

"'What'? 'WHAT'?" Aubrey said, angrily. "Why are you getting mad? If anything, you're in the wrong for pretty much humiliating that girl!" He said, his own anger rising.

"She knew the rules! We don't sleep with the Trebles, no matter what." Aubrey explained her reasoning, but LP wouldn't have it. "Still doesn't mean you have to basically shame that girl in front of everybody."

At that moment, a very angry Aubrey slowly walked toward LP. Everybody, including Chloe and Beca, watched fearfully as Aubrey moved in on the 18-year old guy.

Then, as soon as she was directly next to him, Aubrey leaned in very closely to LP, looking him directly in the eye, and said, "You can talk all you want, but just remember, you're not exactly innocent either, new guy."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He asked. Aubrey smirked, and said, "I saw you at Initiation Night. If I'm correct, you were not only chatting with, but also drinking with, a Treble. So, tell us, LP, what's his name?"

LP was angry. He was very angry. He hadn't been this angry since… that night. But, nevertheless, he breathed in, cleared his throat, and spoke clearly, for all the room to hear.

"That guy in the Trebles is my friend. His name is Jesse Swanson. We were friends before we even got into this 'Wide World of Acapella', and, topping it all off, he's my roommate, so, yeah, we're obviously gonna have some interaction with one another. Now, it's my turn: if you have a problem with me talking to Jesse and being friends with him, take it up with me. But I will not stand for you humiliating other people. I don't care if she bent your little code of honor. And that's all I have to say on the matter." He said, sitting proudly in his chair, feeling satisfied with what he said.

Deep down, Aubrey knew she may have gone a little too far in the way she dealt with Mary Elise, and that LP had a point. But, at the same time, she wanted to run the group as best she could.

"I'm with LP on this one." Beca interjected, diverting Aubrey's anger and confusion away from him and towards her. "I think you didn't need to do that, or be so harsh on her." Beca continued, as Aubrey's eye twitched.

"I get that what I did was harsh. I get that. I understand that you may think that I'm a bitch, and we've just met. But if you have a problem with the way I will run things, then the both of you can just…", Aubrey started, and, just as she got going, she choked up a little.

 _"Oh, God. Not again…"_ She thought to herself, afraid that what happened the previous year would happen once more. Fortunately, Chloe could see this, and went over to calm Aubrey down.

"Cool it, Bree. Everything is fine, everything is fine. What happened last year won't happen this year." Chloe said, her voice soothing Aubrey. At that moment, as Aubrey calmed down, LP couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called you out. I just… got a little carried away." LP said, apologetically. Then, one of the Bellas, an Asian girl whom LP had almost no idea was there, raised her hand.

"Um, do you have a question?" Aubrey said, calming down. Then, the girl said something, but her voice was so small, nobody could hear what she was saying.

"I'm sorry, what?" Beca said. "Does anybody have any idea what this chick's saying?" Fat Amy butted in. "I can read lips, somewhat. Um, excuse me, miss! Could you repeat yourself?" LP asked, politely, as he looked intently at the girl.

In response, she said, in a small voice, "What happened last year? And do you think that the world will end tomorrow?" LP repeated what she said. Nobody had any response for the latter question, but the former…

* * *

Aubrey and Chloe showed them the video from last year, which involved Aubrey on a stage during a performance, vomiting all over the audience, the Bellas tried to stifle their laughter. All of them tried, but failed, with the exception of LP, who wasn't laughing at all. He didn't find it amusing. Gross, yes. A little sad, maybe. But not amusing.

He looked at Aubrey, and saw the same embarrassment in her face as he saw on Mary Elise's. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he felt sorry for her.

Having had enough, Aubrey closed the laptop they were playing the video on, and set it away. "Okay, enough. Let's just get started. We've procrastinated enough, and I don't have all day."

"Wait a minute." LP interrupted. "Ugh, what?! What do you want?!" Aubrey exploded. "I… I just realized that I don't really know your names." LP said, to which Aubrey simply stared at him. "Fine. Start off by saying who you do know, Randle McMurphy."

"Well, I know you, obviously, and Chloe, and I also know Beca, Fat Amy, and Stacie. Everybody else, no clue." LP said.

The girl who spoke in a small voice stepped up first. "Hello, my name is Lily, and, if you're wondering why you can't really hear me, it's because I was born with gills like a fish."

"What did she even say?" Aubrey asked. "That her name is Lily, and she was born with gills like a fish." LP repeated, to which Lily nodded her head.

The next person to introduce herself to LP was an African American woman. "I'm Cynthia Rose, but, since you're calling yourself a name with your initials, just call me CR." She introduced herself. "Pleasure to meet you, CR. Anyone else?" He asked.

Next, a blonde stood up, and walked over to him. "Jessica." She said, a smile on her face as she held out her hand. LP was somewhat taken aback by this, as none of the other girls had stood up to stand next to him, save for Aubrey, let alone shook his hand.

He accepted the offer, and shook hers. "Nice to meet you." He said, as he put his pointer and middle finger to his head, and saluted her. She laughed a little. "You, too."

As Jessica sat back down, the black-haired girl sitting next to her looked blankly at LP. "I'm Ashley, and I role with her." She said, pointing to Jessica.

"Alright, alright, alright." LP said, in his best impression of Matthew McConaughey. "My name's LP McDaniel. People call me LP McDaniel. It's nice to meet you all." He continued, smiling a little sheepishly.

"Well, then. Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way, can we finally get back to the task which we've long been procrastinating?" Aubrey asked.

The Bellas nodded their heads, to which Aubrey and Chloe flipped over a board, revealing their plans for the year. "These are the songs we will be singing, and when we'll be singing them. I'm certain that with these songs, we'll kick ass, and finally win against those damn Trebles."

As the Bellas looked at the chart, LP and Beca couldn't help but notice a flaw in Aubrey's plan: the songs that were being chosen sucked. They were old love songs.

The two couldn't help but think, _"What the Hell is she thinking? Does she really think that we'll win with songs like these?"_ Or, at least they thought similar things.

LP figured that he wouldn't say anything. He'd already frustrated Aubrey enough for one day, and he didn't want to do so any more than he already had.

Beca, on the other hand… "Um, you do realize that these songs are pretty old, right?" She said, earning her looks from all of the Bellas. "Aca-scuse me? Beca, these are the songs that will help us win. And we need to do whatever we can to win."

"But, these songs-", Beca started, only to earn another death glare from Aubrey. "Uh… never mind."

"Now, let's get off our butts, and get rocking!" Aubrey said, as the girls, and LP, did just that.

* * *

Unfortunately for them, they did not get to 'rocking'. In fact, what happened next was nothing short of a hot mess.

Just to give you beautiful readers a general idea of what happened, Fat Amy barely did the cardio they were supposed to do, despite the ever motivating song 'Starships', by Nicki Minaj.

Voice testing was a total failure, with nobody singing in the right key, and people constantly fucking up the lyrics.

When Ashley was sent to get coffee, she got everybody's orders wrong, and the entire Bellas crew had to play a game of 'Guess Whose Coffee Is Whose' for half an hour.

Don't even get me started on what happened when they actually tried dancing. It was… it was… oh, God! Excuse me for a moment, my dear readers.

*We interrupt this story because the writer was laughing so hard at the events that transpired, he couldn't focus on writing for a while, and had to be excused. So, until he comes back, here's a snippet of what went on during that time. Enjoy.*

* * *

"No, Stacie! We are not doing that! This is not necessary!" Aubrey protested to Stacie, who was unstoppably twerking. "No, it's very necessary! Look, either I shake my ass, or this won't pan out." Stacie replied.

Meanwhile, Cynthia Rose was thinking about Stacie's little 'dance routine'. "What a fine woman." She thought to herself.

Amy was trying to square dance with Ashley, which could only end so well for one of them. Well, putting it bluntly, it failed miserably, and Amy ended up falling on poor Ashley, knocking the wind out of her. Seriously, what did you think was gonna happen?

And the others? Y'know, LP, our protagonist, and his newfound friends? They sat on the bleachers, sipping their coffee, and taking a break from all the calamity. As the shit kept hitting the fan, Jessica looked at the others, and asked, "Should we help 'em out?"

Chloe took a sip of her coffee, and said, "Definitely." LP, "Maybe." Beca, "Not a snowball's chance in Egypt."

Then, all of them observed the things going on, and pretended to think to themselves, before… "You know what? I think my butt's glued to the bleacher." Chloe said. "Mine, too." LP added in. "Same." Jessica added her voice in. "I ain't moving." Beca finished, taking a big sip of her Caramel Macchiato.

* * *

NARRATOR: Okay, I'm back. Sorry, folks! Anywho, back to the story!

At a certain point, everything had come to a head for Aubrey. The day hadn't panned out the way she wanted it to, but, it was a start. "Okay, okay! That's enough. You're all free to go. Practice those songs, because we're performing on Friday!" Aubrey said, to which all the Bellas sighed with relief, and rushed out the door.

But just as Beca was about to leave, she heard Aubrey say, "Beca! Could you stay a while longer, please?" Beca rolled her eyes, unbeknownst to the blonde, and turned around to walk over to her.

When she was standing right in front of the leader of the Bellas, Beca tried her best to remain confident. "Something you need?" She asked, coolly. "Yeah, um, I have a bit of a problem with you." Aubrey said, much to Beca's (not) surprise.

Still, Beca would listen to what she had to say. "Really? Well what, pray tell, is your problem?" She asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I can see that you have a massive toner for two guys." Aubrey stated, further flashing that 'Stepford Smile'.

Beca was taken aback by this, as well as confused. "What? What the Hell is a toner?" She asked. "A toner is a musical boner. And you have one for Jesse, or LP, or both." Aubrey explained condescendingly.

"Wow, you're even more deluded than I thought. I don't have a 'toner' for anyone." Beca said truthfully. "I know you do. And I know that we can win with these songs, with or without you and LP." Aubrey said, putting up an effort to win in a battle of wits with Beca.

"Uh-huh. Suuuurrree. And the sky is grey, and the zombie apocalypse will start tomorrow. End of discussion, bye." Beca said, walking away from Aubrey, who pursed her lips, and gritted her teeth.

In one last attempt to get Beca's goat, Aubrey shouted, "I can see that toner sticking through your jeans!" Much to her surprise, Beca turned around, and said, "That's my dick." And, with that, she left, getting the last word.

* * *

Outside of the building, Beca prepared to put her headphones on, but was called out to by two familiar faces. "Hey, stranger! Won't let you go until you buy a nice hat!" LP said, as he and Chloe caught up to her.

Beca smiled, and stopped walking away. "Hey, guys." Once the two stood next to Beca, LP asked, "So, what did Gunnery Sergeant Hartman have to say to you?" Beca chuckled. "She insinuated that I want to fuck you and/or Jesse, and that the Bellas will win without me and you."

"Hey, come on. Aubrey's just under a lot of pressure, right now. I think that you guys should go a little easier on her, y'know, get to know her better." Chloe suggested.

LP sighed, and said, "Yeah, you're right. It's just that… she seems so hard to approach, and it makes it difficult for us to want to even try." Beca nodded her head in ascent. "Took the words right out of my mouth." She said.

"Still, I think that you guys would really like her if you knew her better." Chloe told them. "Yeah, you're right. Who knows? We might end up being great friends." LP said, optimistically.

"That's the spirit! Anyway, I gotta run." Chloe said. "And I gotta get to work!" Beca added in. "Cool, cool cool cool. See you guys, later!" LP said, as they waved him goodbye.

"Yep, this is gonna work like gangbusters." He said to himself, shaking his head as he walked back to his dorm.

 _Author's Note: Chapter Five, everybody! So, we get to spend a little quality time with the Bellas! Hijinks ensued, LP further demonstrates the kinda guy that he is, and we had a few laughs here and there. ZRyder, no, his name isn't Link, nor is his middle name Paul or Peter. Funny you should ask that though, since I just got The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the Nintendo Switch, and I love it! Saggitarius, thank you once more for reviewing! I'm glad that you enjoy the story, and I do plan on including the POV of different characters throughout the story, though it will primarily be told through LP's POV. As for a bit pace, what do you mean by that? Oh, the story is gonna get interesting in the later chapters. It's kinda exciting what I have planned for this story. And no, his name isn't Liev Phil, though that would be a cool name. Speaking of which, it's time for another hint! Today's hint: the 'L' stands for an odd numbered name, and the 'P' stands for an even-numbered one. And Wren, thank you for telling me that I have a cool idea! I'm glad you enjoy the story, so far! Anyway, thank you all for reading, please leave a review with your thoughts and or feelings regarding the story, and, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian, wishing you all a late merry Christmas!_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Recap (AKA: 'Hi')

At a local diner near the Barden campus, a waitress was walking towards a table. She had a blue plate in her hands, and on the plate was chicken salad without dressing.

When she was at the table, she set the plate down next to a certain redhead, who was writing in a small book with a red cover.

"There ya go, hun." The waitress said, as she filled the cup that was also on the table with coffee. "You want anything else?" She asked, in a friendly voice.

Chloe looked up at the waitress. "I'm good. Thanks again, Janice." The friendly waitress nodded her head, and walked off as Chloe started writing again.

 **The Diary of Chloe Beale**

September 3rd, 2012.

 _Practice was okay, today. The new recruits all seem like nice people, and I enjoy their company. Sure, we had a rocky start, but I'm hopeful that it all works out._

 _I like just about all of the people in this new crew. Amy's a little vulgar, Lily's a bit odd, Stacie is definitely a sexual tiger, I don't know what to think of Cynthia Rose, Jessica, and Ashley, and Beca is definitely fun._

 _But, one thing I'm certain of is that none of them interest me as much as the new guy. Wow, never thought I'd say the words 'new guy' and be able to apply them to the Bellas._

 _LP McDaniel is tough to read. He's mysterious, sarcastic, and outspoken. But he also stood up for Mary Elise, and even had the guts to call out Aubrey for kicking her out. Hell, he's even friends with a Treble. How does he fit into all of this? How is he gonna fit into the Bellas?_

 _I'd rather not think about questions I don't have the answers to, now. Let's focus on something else, shall we? What to think about… oh, I know!_

 _I texted Tom earlier today. I asked if we could meet here, at 5:30. He said 'sure', since he's really busy as of late, and hasn't had time to see me quite as often. I understand, I mean, he does have that job at the deli on 55th and Logan._

 _I can't deny that I'm a little worried. I've been thinking lately. About me and him. He wants to keep this 'thing' that we have, meaning sex in the shower every now and then, and… I kind of want more._

 _I know he doesn't see this as anything more than just a purely sexual relationship, but I want to actually get to know him. I know more about the new people in the Bellas more than I do about him._

 _You're getting ahead of yourself, Chlo. Think about what you do know about him. Make a list, count down all the things in your head. Think this through rationally._

 _1\. He's nice._

 _2\. He wants to have sex with me. A lot._

 _3\. He wants to have a purely sexual relationship with me._

 _4\. He's a junior._

 _5\. He's seen Beca naked (interesting chapter, that was)._

 _6\. He's not into acapella._

 _And, that's about it. Still, he did agree to meet me here, so, maybe things could finally turn around._

* * *

At that moment, a tall boy with brown hair walked in. Upon seeing him, Chloe took a deep breath, and smiled as she saw him walk over.

"Hey." Tom Matthews said, taking a seat. "Hi." She replied, smiling. "Keep your cool. Tell him what you want, and why you want it. Help him understand." Chloe thought to herself.

"So, you texted me that you wanted to see me here. Is there something you wanted to talk about?" He asked. Chloe bit her bottom lip a little, before saying, "Tom… I've been thinking lately. About you and me."

Tom raised his eyebrows a little. "What about?" He asked. "I… well, there's no sugar-coating this, Tom. I want to have a relationship with you." Chloe continued. She could tell that she was further confusing the guy, based on the look he gave her.

"What are you talking about? Isn't what we already have a relationship? You know, this… thang?" He asked, as he leaned in a little. Chloe knew what he was doing. He was trying his damndest to avoid talking about this, and he'd do it by locking lips with her. But she wouldn't have it.

She put her fingers to his lips, stopping him. "I mean a real relationship, Tom. One that doesn't entirely revolve around us wanting to have sex with one another. Because, even though what we have now is fine, I want something more than just physical attraction. I want to get to know you. I want to get to know you for more than just being the guy I sometimes sleep with. And I want to be more than just a booty call. I want a real relationship. Where we go out on dates, talk about our days, our feelings, those kinds of things. Y'know?"

After that, she looked directly into Tom's face. He was stunned. For all that time they'd been 'together', they never really were together.

"I… I don't know what to say." He stuttered, making Chloe frown a little. "All this time, I just thought you wanted sex. And that's all I really knew for a while. And now, you just put this in my lap, like a Goddamn bombshell, and… I don't know what to do. Or say. Or think. Can you give me some time to think about this? Just a while?" He requested.

Chloe's frown turned into a small, familiar smile. On the outside, she gave off the appearance she wanted Tom to know. A warm, sweet nature. One that was complacent, completely fine with waiting. On the inside, however, there was another story.

On the inside, Chloe was frustrated. She was angry. She wanted an answer, then and there. She was restless, eager, irrational. Everything she didn't want to be, or want this guy, this one guy, to see her as.

So, she mentally kicked herself, and kept the mask on. What could be the harm in that?

"Sure. Take your time." Chloe said, keeping the smile. Tom smiled in kind, and said, "Thanks, babe. You're amazing."

Then, he leaned in to kiss her once more, only this time, he rested his forefinger and middle finger on Chloe's chin, and this time, Chloe didn't stop him.

And as their lips locked, Chloe felt something. But it was not a warmth, or a fiery-electric spark that she felt when they first slept together. It was a cold, empty nothingness. It felt hollow, and further worried Chloe, feeding into her suspicion that there may not only be no real chance of them together now, but that there was nothing there before.

Then, at that moment, a ringer was heard by both Chloe and Tom, breaking the kiss. "Excuse me." Tom said, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, and saw a text from someone.

"Ah, jeez. Uh, listen. I gotta run, work needs me. But, I'll text you later, okay?" He said. Chloe nodded in faux understanding, all the while smiling like an idiot. "Okay." She replied.

"Awesome." Tom exclaimed, turning to leave the diner, but not without a quick peck on Chloe's cheek. And with that, he left, leaving Chloe alone once more. She sighed, and took a bite out of her chicken salad.

* * *

After a few minutes of silence, and barely touching her food, an idea popped into her head. The same idea she had every time she was nervous, or stressed, or needed a way to cheer herself up.

Chloe took out her wireless headphones, courtesy of Apple Inc., and put them into her ears. She turned on the bluetooth on her phone, and linked the two together. Within seconds, the song she wanted was on.

To complete the effect, she closed her eyes, and forgot the day. She forgot entirely about practice, about Tom, about relationships, about everything. And she immersed herself completely in her music.

 _Making my way downtown_

 _Walking fast,_

 _Faces pass,_

 _And I'm home bound._

 _Staring blankly ahead,_

 _just making my way_

 _Making my way through the crowd._

 _And I need you,_

 _And I miss you,_

 _And now I wonder…_

 _If I could fall into the sky,_

 _Do you think time would pass me by?_

 _'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you…_

 _Tonight._

Then, at that moment, as Chloe took another bite of her salad, a certain guy wearing a black beanie walked through the door, wearing a pair of sunglasses, bobbing his head to the beat of his own music. At that very moment, he saw her, too. At that very moment, their eyes locked.

* * *

 **Earlier that day...**

* * *

After talking to Beca and Chloe, I walked back to my dorm room. I had nothing else to do, my schedule had practically been cleared for the day. I had no homework, why would I? It's the first week, after all. And Jesse was at work, doing whatever he does with Beca.

So, I decided to go back, and keep myself busy, maybe write a little, mix a few new songs together, or just lie down on my bed, stare at the ceiling, and slowly slip into madness. Most likely the third option, but, who knows? The possibilities are endless!

As I pace towards the building I live in, I slip my Ray-Bans on, and my headphones into my ears. I pull out my iPhone for a moment or two, and click on the song I want. I press 'play', slip it back into my pocket, and let the music 'possess and caress' me. Hell, if the song really lifts my spirits, I might even dance a little.

 _Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup_

 _They sliver while they pass, they slip away_

 _Across the universe…_

 _Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are dripping through my open mind,_

 _Possessing and caressing me…_

 _Jai guru deva um…_

 _Nothing's gonna change my world…_

 _Nothing's gonna change my world…_

 _Nothing's gonna change my world…_

 _Nothing's gonna change my world…_

 _Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,_

 _They call me on and on_

 _Across the universe…_

 _Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letterbox,_

 _They tumble blindly as they make their way_

 _Across the universe…_

 _Jai guru deva um…_

 _Nothing's gonna change my world…_

 _Nothing's gonna change my world…_

 _Nothing's gonna change my world…_

 _Nothing's gonna change my world…_

* * *

Soon as the song reaches its end, I'm in my dorm-room. Even sooner, I'm sitting on my bed, writing lyrics, as Benji puts the finishing touches on his new Lego Star Wars set.

"Almost there…" He says in a singsong voice. I look over at him, and smile a little. I've met plenty of people into Star Wars, hell, I own all of the movies, including the prequels! But, I can't say I've ever met someone who loves it as much as Benji does, or someone who loves magic as much, either.

"Do you need a hand?" I ask. He looks back at me. "No, thank you! I'm okay!" He says. "Okay." I reply, turning my attention back to my writing.

Then, not ten seconds later, he looks to me, and says, "Actually, yeah, I could use your help a little. Would you mind coming over here for a few moments?" He asks.

I chuckle a little, and smile. "Sure thing." I tell him, setting aside the song I keep trying to write, and begin walking over to him. Once I'm by his side, I finally have the opportunity to acknowledge that I'm actually pretty impressed with his work.

"I'm pretty impressed, Benji. You put a lot of effort into building this. Hell, you got back, what, an hour ago? Great work, man." I told him. He smiled, clearly happy to have received praise.

"Thank you, LP. But it's not quite done, yet. I just need some help putting the finishing touches on it, and then, my masterpiece will be complete!" He exclaimed, almost intentionally in an overdramatic way.

So, we worked on it. For about fifteen minutes, we had to carefully assemble the pieces to form a damn near perfect model, and I'm pretty sure my hands were hurting after we were done, but, nevertheless, we did it.

We stood up and looked at the thing that Benji had pretty much built by himself. I know I helped him, but this was his creation. His moment. And I wasn't gonna ruin that for him.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He asked me, despite already knowing that the answer was a plain 'y-e-s'. And, as such, I responded with that.

"Once again, I can't thank you enough for this. You're the best, LP." Benji said, pulling me into an awkward attempt at a bro-hug. I knew it was awkward, and he knew it was awkward, but we didn't care. I accepted the offer, and gladly hugged the guy back.

* * *

After a while, Benji left, said something about a meeting with the 'Fandom Club', or, according to him, Codename: Losers Unite. And I was left alone once again.

After a while, I said to myself, out loud, "This song isn't going anywhere. I'll just call it a quits, for now." So, I did, and I set my journal, pencil, and headphones down.

I was bored. I had no one to talk to, and nothing to do that would pique my interest at the moment. Then, I felt like doing something that I hadn't thought of doing in a while.

I pulled out my phone, and clicked on the phone app. I searched through my contacts, and finally came across my home phone number. I tapped on it, and brought the phone closer to my ear.

I waited for someone to pick up. It felt like an eternity had passed as I did so. For a moment, I was worried that my Dad would pick up, or that it'd go straight to voicemail. Then…

"Hi, LP!" June's small voice happily said. I sighed with relief, and collected myself once more. "Hey, kiddo! How are you?" I asked. "I'm doing okay. Maria invited me over for a playdate on Friday, and Daddy said I could go!" She told me.

I smiled, and told her, "That's awesome, June! How's things been at home without me?" I said, pausing for a little. I hesitated to ask the other thing that was on my mind. I didn't want to know, but, at the same time, I did. So, I continued with, "And how's Dad doing?"

Almost instantly, she responded. "Things have been okay. It's just not as fun around here without you. Daddy won't say it, but he misses you a lot. And I miss you, too."

Tears stung my eyes, as I took in what she was saying. "That's… ugh, that's great, Junie. Has Dad been, y'know, okay? Without me around?" I asked, worried that the answer I would get would frighten me.

"Yeah, everything's been alright. Dad wakes himself up in the morning, and even makes pancakes with me." She told me, as the tears rolled down my eyes and onto my shirt.

I sighed once more, and groaned somewhat, before talking to her again. "That's great, baby girl. You have no idea how happy that makes me feel, right now." I told her. "I'm glad you're happy, LP! Uh oh, Daddy's calling me for dinner! I gotta go! I love you! Bye!" She said, hanging up the phone.

I gripped my phone closely to my chest, and silently cried. "I love you too, June."

* * *

After that was over with, I walked to the local diner. I was hungry, and craving a cheeseburger with fries. So, I put my shades on, and automatically hit my song playlist, and automatically, I knew what song I wanted. As I listened, I even danced a little to the beat, mouthing the lyrics as I did so.

 _The power of love is a curious thing._

 _Make one man weep, make another man sing._

 _Change a hawk to a little white dove._

 _More than a feeling,_

 _That's the power of love!_

 _Tougher than diamonds,_

 _Pricks like cream._

 _Stronger and harder than a bad girl's dream!_

 _Make a bad one good,_

 _Make a wrong one right._

 _Power of love will keep you home at night!_

 _And it don't take money,_

 _Don't take fame,_

 _Don't need no credit card to ride this train…_

 _It's strong and it's sudden,_

 _And it's cruel sometimes_

 _But it might just save your life…_

 _That's the power of love._

As I walked into the diner, I found myself locking eyes with a certain redhead sitting in a booth just a few feet away from me. She had her headphones in, the same as I, had a journal and a pencil next to a plate, and ate what looked like chicken salad from said plate.

Smiling, I took off my glasses, and removed the ear-buds from my ears, walked over to her booth, and said one word, one solitary but powerful word: "Hi".

* * *

CHLOE'S POV

* * *

Not knowing what to do, I smiled back, taking out my own headphones, and responded in the only way I knew how to in this situation: "Hi."

 _Author's Note: And here's Chapter Six, folks! We got to learn a little more about Chloe, and we got to see LP interact with both Benji and June some more! I personally loved writing this chapter, and hope you guys love reading it! Anywho, thank you all for reading, please leave a review, and, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! But until that time comes, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, and I'm going to sleep!_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: T _he Not-So Fiery Redhead_

Ten minutes earlier when he left his dorm room, LP would never have guessed that he'd find Chloe Beale sitting in a booth, alone, and listening to music. And he didn't guess that he'd be sitting across from her in said booth, sat in the booth, and, for a few moments they simply stared at each other, neither knowing what to say or do.  
"So… you come here often?" LP asked, finally breaking the silence. Chloe smiled a little, and set down her fork. "No, not really. I like it here, but it's not a general hangout spot. I was actually just waiting for a friend beforehand, and you would have gotten the chance to meet him. Well, if he hadn't left, that is." Chloe finished, glumly looking down at her food.

"Oh. Shit. Well, uh… jeez, I had no idea. I'm really sorry, Chloe. Um, if you want to be alone, I'd be more than okay just going somewhere else." He said, looking at her with an obvious sympathy in his eyes.

She offered a small grin, but it wasn't the smile she gave him at Initiation Night. There was something sad about it, like she was wounded on the inside. "It's fine, LP. I'm just a little sad, that's all. You don't have to leave because of my feelings. In fact, I'd really appreciate it if you stayed."

At that moment, something inside LP lit up a little. He couldn't remember the last time somebody asked him to sit with them for a meal, even if it was a friend.

"Okay. I'll stay." He said. As if on cue, Chloe slipped back into the perky, fun-loving personality she normally put out. "Yay!" She exclaimed, as LP's lips curled into a small smile.

CHLOE'S POV

Oh, God. I asked him to stay. Why did it have to be him, of all people? There are millions upon billions of people in this world. Why did it have to be this one guy who showed up at this very diner? AND WHY DID I JUST INVITE HIM TO SIT WITH ME?

Internal deep breath, Chloe. Internal deep breath. Everything is cool. Just be calm. Be happy. Be sweet on him. That's what they want, isn't it? Right?

But what do I say? Do I talk about my 'relationship' problems with him? Try and see what we have in common? Strike a conversation about Aubrey? What do I do?

Then, a waitress that isn't Janice comes over, and asks LP what he wants. For a split second, he looks at me, almost as if he wants to ask me if he wants my approval for what he wants.

"In response, I wink with my right eye. He smirks a little, and says, "I'll take a cheeseburger, please. With a Diet Coke." The waitress writes it down on a piece of paper. "Alrighty, then. Cheeseburger with a Diet Coke. Got it. You want fries with that, hun?" She asks.

"No, thank you, ma'am. That'll be all." He replies, as she walks away. Then, he turns back to look at me. "So… how're you?" He asks, a bit awkwardly.  
I smile a little. "Aside from the pretty mediocre practice today, and my relationship problems, I'd say I'm doing okay." I tell him. Why am I so open to talking about this? Anyone else, any other time, I'd be keeping my feelings on the matter inside. But not with him. Why is this?

"Is there, uh, anything you'd like to talk about? Anything at all?" I ask him, trying to avoid talking about relationships, or acapella. "No. Thank you for asking, but there's not really much to talk about." He says. And I believe him. Well, until he says this: "Actually, there might be a few things I'd like to talk about."

I raise my eyebrows. "Oh?" I reply. 'Oh'? Was that really the best that I could come up with for a response? God, I'm a hot mess right now.

"Yeah. I was wondering about the other girls in the group. You know, aside from Aubrey. Not that I have anything against her, which I know she thinks I do, and… uh, the-the point is, I want to know your opinion on them." He stutters. Huh. He's just as nervous as I am. Whether that's a relief or a new problem is up to you, whoever you are reading my journal.

"Well, I like just about everyone, if that's what you're wondering. Though, I have to admit it's a little early to form an opinion on all of them. If only time travel were real, then we could see how we feel." I joke, making him laugh a little.

"That was actually pretty funny, if you ask me. But, in all seriousness, I feel pretty much the same way about everyone. I like Beca, and want to get to know her more. Amy's fun to be around, but I get the feeling that she's trying a little too hard. I met Stacie back at the audition, and I like what I saw." On that last part, he realizes what he just said, and bites his lip in embarrassment while I giggle. "Okay, that last part came out wrong." He says. "Or did it?" I joke, giving him an eyebrow dance. To my surprise, he takes it as such, and plays along with me.

"No, it didn't. I liked everything that I saw. Stacie is a stunning, gorgeous creature, and I think I'm absolutely, deeply, madly in love with her." He says, in an obviously over-the-top voice. At that moment, he and I both laugh. We can't help it! And, to be fair, that voice and response were perfect.

After a few seconds of nothing but straight laughter, he rubs his eyes a little, and continues with what he was saying. "Anyway, I do like Stacie, and I don't mind that she's the way she is. If that's what she wants to do, I say she should go for it. I hate judging other people based on stuff like that, and wouldn't want to start now, or ever for that matter."

It takes me a few seconds to take in what he's saying. And you know what? I believe every word of it. Every single syllable. Every word he says just feels so… genuine. So real. Like everything coming out of his mouth is what he actually feels.

"And what about the other girls?" I ask, my curiosity piqued. "Well, let's see, who else is there? Um… CR. I need to know her a bit more, that's on my list. Lily is interesting, there's no doubt about that. And Jessica and Ashley seem like inseparable twins almost, meaning that it'll be hard to tell them apart. But, as with everything I do, I'll l try my best." He says, a smile on his face. Right then, the waitress from a few minutes earlier walks over, a red plate with a burger on it in her hands, and a bottle of Diet Coke in the other. "One burger and a Coke, here ya go!" She says, setting the plate down in a perky voice. "Thank you!" LP says, as she smiles and walks away, off to serve another customer.

He picks the cheeseburger off his plate, and takes a bite out of it. After swallowing, he looks at me. "Mmm… damn, these are good. I am so happy that Jesse brought me one of these a while back!" He says, smiling.

I smile back. Then, for a moment, my expression twists into a look that gives away my position: I'm thinking about something. He notices. "What's up?" He asks.

I bite my lip for a second. He never said what he thinks about me. Could it be that he doesn't like me? That he thinks I'm too happy? Oh, God, why do I care so much? Why do I care what this one guy thinks of me?

You know what? Fuck it. I'll ask him. "You never told me what you think of me." I tell him, slightly looking down at my salad. "I never… oh, right! Um… well…" He starts, only to stutter a bit.

"Everything okay?" I ask him. "Y-Yeah… I just, uh… I need to find the right words." He says. "Oh. Okay. Take your time." I tell him. I don't want to pressure him. Or anyone, for that matter. But, at the same time, I can't help but wonder, 'what is going on inside that head of yours, LP McDaniel?'

LP'S POV

What do I say? What can I say? Dammit, if she wasn't looking at me with those eyes… I don't know what to say. What can you say about a girl like this? I've never met anyone like Chloe. I can't really get a read on you, Red. Mind throwing me a hand?

Ugh, what am I thinking? Focus. Focus, you dumbass. And don't do that annoying blubbering that all the dumbasses in the movies do when they can't spit out their thoughts.

Then, it hits me like a truck. It just comes to me, and it all clicks. And I think I have my thoughts on her down. "Well, I think you're probably the sweetest one of the group." I tell her. Her face lights up a little. "R-Really?" She stutters, while I'm still trying to find the right words to say to her. Then, it just hits me. So simple, but completely honest.

"I know it. All of the girls in the group seem nice, but, for some reason, I don't feel that any of them took a liking to me as quickly as you did. You and Aubrey were the first people I met for this group. And, on top of it, you were probably the only person who actually was open to me joining the Bellas." I tell her. And I mean every word of it. She's the nicest person I've met in… well, I can't remember.

She's blushing. Her cheeks are bright red, the color of her hair. But she wasn't embarrassed. She was… smiling. The biggest, most genuine smile that I had ever seen.

"Thanks..." She muttered, as she wiped her eyes a little. For some reason, tears were streaming down her face. Was it something I did? Or said?

"Oh, uh, Chloe? Are you okay?" I ask her. She wipes her eyes again. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just… oh, God. I'm a mess right now, LP. Don't worry, it's not you. It's just… so much is going on, right now." She says, hiding her face from me in her hands.

"Maybe you'd feel better talking about it?" I suggest. Stupid. Maybe she doesn't want to talk about them. Maybe she'd feel worse talking about them.

"Yeah… maybe." Wait, what? Did I just hear her correctly? Oh, thank God. Now, at least I know she's okay talking about this kind of stuff. "You don't mind if I talk to you about all this, do you?" She asks. I shake my head. "Not at all. Go right ahead." I tell her.

"Well… where to start? You see, I'm kind of with this guy, y'know? His name is Tom. You might not know him. He's tall, handsome, has brown hair? You know him?" She asks me. I shake my head, answering 'no'.  
"Oh, okay. Well, we met in the second half of the school year last year. He was a sophomore, and I was a junior. We met at a party, and, obviously, we ended up hooking up. And then, a week later, we did it again. And again. And again. All the way up until last week, just before you arrived in town, I finally realized something that I'd been ignoring for so long: there wasn't really anything between me and Tom. It was just sex. And I started to wonder, 'am I just a booty call', or 'is that all that I am?'"

And just like that, all the pieces started to come together. "So, that's why you came here, isn't it? To talk to him? To get more out of your 'interactions' with him?" I asked, to which she nodded her head in response.

"I understood. I had it figured out. And I feel like, in that moment, I was closer to Chloe than anyone else I had met at Barden. More than Benji, more than Jesse, even more than Beca. Why? Because, most importantly, I understood.

"In that moment, I placed my right hand on her left. She looked at me. In that moment, I looked directly into her eyes, and stared.

"I… I think I understand you. I know I understand you. I do understand you." I stuttered. And you know what? She understood, too. And she smiled gratefully at me.

"Thank you. I don't know how much I can show you my appreciation for helping me out." Chloe said, looking down at my hand. "Don't mention it. And, if you need somebody to talk to, consider me the next time you need someone. Okay?" I ask.

For a second, she and I don't do anything. We don't talk, we don't move, we don't do a damn thing. Then, she nods her head, keeping that same smile on her face.

She responds with one simple word: "Okay."

3RD PERSON POV

As they walked, LP and Chloe didn't have their headphones in. Rather, they walked alongside each other, barely saying a word. They both knew that, just because they were walking alongside one another, it didn't mean they needed to talk to one another. They enjoyed each other's company, and that was enough for the both of them. Sure, they spared a few glances at one another, but, for the most part, as they walked toward Casa Bella, the near-empty house that Chloe and Aubrey lived in, there was complete silence.

When they finally arrived at the house, they stopped at the front steps. For the first time since the diner, one of them talked, breaking the long-standing silence.

"So… anything I need to know about for the Bellas in advance?" LP asked. "Maybe…" Chloe replied, in a singsong voice. "Really? What's going on?" He asked. "Well, we have a few more practices after classes are finished just about, oh, every day this week. That, and we have a little performance on Friday." She explained.

LP crossed his arms, and nodded his head in understanding. "Alright. What do I need to wear?" He asked. "Aubrey will tell all of us tomorrow. Just wait until then. And, until then, goodbye, LP McDaniel." Chloe said, bowing a little.

LP smiled, and took a bow himself. "Til the clock strikes three tomorrow, I bid you adieu, Mrs. Beale." Chloe laughed, and waved him goodbye as she walked into the house.

After she was inside, LP smiled, put his headphones in, and walked away. He opened up his phone, and pressed play on the song that he wanted. "Well, at least I know now that we have a performance on Friday. And hey, I at least made a closer friend with Chloe, even if it was just a complete stroke of luck. Still, I'm kinda excited to perform on Friday. It could be fun!"

* * *

FRIDAY

 _"I take it back. This is not fun. Not at all. This is, quite frankly, humiliating."_ LP thought to himself, as he, Chloe, Aubrey, and the rest of the Bellas sang a rather unenthusiastic version of 'Turn The Beat Around'.

LP could feel a lack of energy in the singing. He felt it, and knew that it was unmissable. And he wasn't the only one who recognized it, either. Beca could see that there was no passion in the music, the beat, or the , the crew tried to make it work. Even if there wasn't as much enthusiasm as they wanted, they tried.

LP: Turn it around, turn it around…  
BECA: T-T-Turn it around, turn it around…

AUBREY: TURN IT AROUND!

ALL THE BELLAS: Awww, turn the beat around! Let you hear-

At that very moment, one senior stepped onto the podium they were on, and waved his hands repeatedly. "Stop, stop!" He exclaimed, and eventually, they did.

"Excuse me, but we're trying to-", Aubrey began, only to be interrupted by the senior. "This is not the Bellas we know. We want the hot Bellas. I know the Bellas. I've seen you and them in action before. That group and this little crew you have now are not the same Bellas. So take this freak show off the damn podium, and leave."

The asshole said it loud enough for everyone to hear. All of us were hurt by what he said, but none of us were as hurt as Aubrey. The expression on her face when he used the words 'freak show' said it all. So, we left.

* * *

"As we walked along the campus, Aubrey went on and on about how the Bellas would always be a laughing-stock group, and how this would never work.  
"Chrissake, does she ever shut the fuck up?" Stacie whispered to me, as we watched Chloe try to calm Aubrey down. "I have no idea." I whispered back to her.

"Look around you, Chloe! This will never work! I know it, you know it, and so do these people!" Aubrey exclaimed angrily. Chloe sighed, and said, "Aubrey, calm down. We'll get better, we just need time and practice."

"YOU DON'T GET IT! NONE OF YOU GET HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO ME! I cannot lose this! I need a group that will win! I need it! And you people…", She paused for a moment, and looked like she was about to gag, again.

I couldn't watch this, nor could I listen to another word. I walked over to her, and rested my arm on her shoulder. "Aubrey… calm down." After saying that, she looked at me. "I… I don't know that I can. God, could things get any worse?!" And then, as if it were at the snap of a finger, things got worse. Chloe stepped forward, and said, "Actually, yes, they can."

"We were all puzzled, that's for damn sure. At first, we weren't sure what she meant by that. Then, she dropped one Hell of a truth bomb on our laps.  
"I have nodes…"  
 _Author's Note: Boom! There goes the dynamite that is Chapter Seven! We got to learn more about the characters of LP and Chloe, and we also learned a little something about Chloe that you probably all saw coming. Still, damn! Skull726, I'm glad you ship LP and Chloe! Their interactions are pretty sweet, and I feel happiest writing this story when I write those parts! Saggitarius, thank you once again for reviewing! I'm happy you liked seeing our characters grow as characters, and liked learning more about them, which we will see more of in the upcoming chapters! Glad you enjoyed Chapters Five and Six, and hope you enjoy this one! Anywho, thank you all for reading, please leave a review giving your thoughts and or suggestions for what I can do to improve this story, and, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, going to bed!_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: _I Swear_

CHLOE'S POV

The second I told them 'I have nodes', everyone looks at me with a different expression on their faces. None of them know how to react. Well, none of them except for Aubrey.

As if on cue, she walks over to me, and wraps me in a hug. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry. I had no idea." She says, squeezing me tighter as she hugs me.

The second she starts crying, I start crying. God, I'm still the same mess, even in a moment of truth.

And, wouldn't you know, LP is looking at this mess. Not that I really mind. I mean, it's not like he hasn't seen me cry before, right? But with the others looking at me, it becomes a different story.

I feel even more awkward with them watching me. Even with Beca around, I feel strange just telling them this. What is wrong with me?

I mean, I had no problem telling LP about my problems with Tom, or crying in front of him, but I tell all of the Bellas that my vocal chords are basically fucked, and now I feel uncomfortable.

"What the Hell are nodes?" Beca asks. "Yeah. I'm wondering the same thing. And I'm pretty sure the others are just as confused as Beca and me." LP adds in, as the Bellas nod in agreement.

I sigh, and look down at the ground for a moment. As I do, the tears in my eyes slip down my face and onto the pavement. "Vocal Nodules. The doctor said that it's the result of vocal trauma without periods of rest." I tell them, my eyes still on the ground.

"So, basically, your vocal chords are fucked?" LP asks, and I look up at him, the tears still in my eyes. He has a look of regret on his face, as if he's sorry for saying that.

Aubrey notices this, and looks at him angrily. "Now is not the time, LP." She starts. I know she has more to say, but I stop her before she says it. I put my hand on her shoulder, and she looks at me. I mouth the words 'stop' to her. She nods, and lays off of LP.

"Yeah. It's basically that, LP." I say to him. "Oh, God. I'm sorry, Chlo. I didn't mean to make you feel worse." He apologizes. "It's fine, LP. I'm not mad. I'm getting treatment, and going to checkups every now and then, and I'm gonna try and get better. Okay?"

All of the others nod their heads, all of them looking at me with sympathy in their eyes. But I notice something about Beca and LP. Beca looks genuinely concerned, and is biting her lip, almost as if she has something she wants to say, but can't spit it out.

LP, on the other hand, with that same look on his face, walked over, and pulled me into a hug. I accepted his offer, and hugged him back. "Thank you." I whispered into his ear.

I looked at Aubrey, and saw a surprised look on her face. I hadn't told her about my little run-in with LP at the diner, and I had no intention of doing so. Not out of disrespect for LP, but because I knew that Aubrey would most likely have a less-than-happy reaction.

So, after a few moments of hugging him, I pushed myself away from LP, breathed in a little, and turned to face the Bellas. All eyes were on me. "Don't worry about me. I am gonna get through this, no matter what. And I will be okay." I tell them.

I look at him, and he nods his head, an optimistic smile on his face. I smile back. Then…

"At least it's not herpes." Amy says, and then, just like that, all eyes are on her. I roll mine, as does Aubrey. "Dude, seriously?" Beca asks, as LP shakes his head. "Not the time, Amy." He says.

Amy frowns a little, and, from the looks of it, is embarrassed. "Right. Sorry." She says, looking down at the ground. "Chrissake… does anyone in this group have some Goddamn tact?" Aubrey exclaims, clearly irritated.

In response to that question, LP raises his hand. Then Beca does, too. Then Lily. Then Jessica and Ashley. Then CR. Aubrey notices, and flips them all off. She does so often, mostly to other folks, but this time, she used both of her hands.

* * *

BECA'S POV. **A few weeks later. Sunday, to be specific...**

I like this place. This quaint, small radio station that also doubles as a record store. I like the feel of it all. It's small, cozy, and smells kind of funny, but there are worse places to call 'work'.

I'm sorting through CDs, making sure they're in the right order, which, according to Luke, my boss, is the correct and only order. Luke may be an okay guy, but Goddammit if the things he has Jesse and I do aren't incredibly annoying at times.

As I run my hands through a bookshelf filled with albums old and new, I see a familiar face through one of the empty slots. And I see Jesse Swanson's head slowly rising up, looking directly at me.

I give a small, albeit awkward, smile directed at him. Look, he's a nice guy, but he, like Amy, is trying way too damn hard, and, unfortunately for him, I'm just not interested. Not that I have the heart to tell him, mind you.

As he slowly rises, he holds up a Pink Floyd album. "Pink Floyd, eh? You have good taste, that's for sure." I tell him, as he sets the album down, and pulls out another one.

I laugh when I see it. It's an Adam Lambert album with him on the cover, dyed blue hair, his hand running over his smooth face. Jesse notices this, and puts the album right beneath his nose, sealing off his mouth.

He does a little eyebrow dance, and now I'm laughing even harder. "Is this some kind of homage to 'Love Actually'?" I ask. "No. Why? Does it seem like it? Because if it does, then I totally intended for you to think that."

I laugh a little more, before rolling my eyes and walking off. He follows suit, and sits on top of a desk. "So… you've seen 'Love Actually'?" He asks. "Yeah, against my will." I respond.

"Oh, come on! It's not that bad of a movie!" Jesse says, to which I shake my head. "The only virtue that that movie has is that it stars a young Rick Grimes and the voice of Ferb from Phineas and Ferb. And, as we all know, Andrew Lincoln is one handsome bastard." Jesse laughs a little. "He is indeed. And I adore Phineas and Ferb."

At that moment, Luke comes out of his office, and smugly looks at the two of us. "Oh, good. You're not banging on the desk, like I thought you would be. New guy, I need you to make a lunch run. Frank's Diner, the usual." He says.

"Oh, come on, man. Don't you think you need to lay off on the burgers?" Jesse asks, to which Luke pulls up his shirt in response, revealing a six-pack. "Nope, I'm good. Now, can I have a hamburger, please?" He asks.

* * *

Two hours later, and I'm sitting on the grass, listening to music on the Walkman my Aunt bought me for Christmas when I was sixteen. Coolest Aunt ever.

I'm reading poetry for English class. Not that I mind. I've always had a strange taste for poetry. Some of my favorites include Shakespeare, obviously, Walt Whitman, and Edgar Allen Poe. Cliche choices? Yes. Do I still love them and their work? Ab-so-lutely.

I'm in the middle of meaning some of the works of Robert Frost, and listening to a radio station on my Walkman, when a certain guy who's always wearing a beanie and another certain guy who isn't very subtle about the fact that he has a crush on me walk in my direction, and take a seat next to me. One of them has a stack of DVDs in his hand, the other a bag of juice-boxes.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this?" I ask. "Not a thing! Just a short interaction involving juice boxes and DVDs." Jesse replies, as he sits down on the grass.

LP also sits down, and sets the juice boxes down. "I'm just here because he asked me to help out." He says, and I laugh. Jesse, on the other hand, is not amused.

"Bullshit! You did this voluntarily!" Jesse exclaims, and I look at LP, who grabs a juice box, and closes his eyes, for some reason. "I did not volunteer! It's not true! It's bullshit, I did not volunteer! I did naht… oh hai, Beca." He says, in an accent that I automatically revile horror at.

"Oh, God. Not 'The Room', guys. Anything but that!" I say, as I bury my face in my hands. "You mean 'The Room', a cinematic landmark by visionary filmmaker Tommy Wiseau?" Jesse asks in an over-the-top voice.

"Yes, that one. What are you guys doing here, anyways? Are you stalking me? Because if you are, I'll happily cut off some of my hair and give it to you if you'll leave me alone." I tell them. "No, I just wanted to meet with you because, if what I've seen of you is telling me the truth, you don't like movies very much." Jesse says, to which I nod my head.

"Yup. Never have, and probably never will." I tell them. "Well, why don't I see if I can change that?" Jesse says, as he urges LP to give me a juice box, which I graciously accept.

Then I'm watching Jesse get out a stack of movies, and set them on the grass. "Let's do a rundown, shall we?" He starts pulling movies out from the stack, one-by-one. "Indiana Jones. Jaws. E.T. Saving Private Ryan. Jurassic Park. Tell me, LP. What do all of these movies have in common?" Jesse asks.

LP responds with, "They're all directed by Steven Spielberg, and scored by the great John Williams, and they're all cinematic masterpieces with different tones, styles, and genres, further cementing Spielberg as one of the greatest directors of all time?"

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner!" Jesse says, smiling as he does so. "Spielberg is a master, up there with the greats. And John Williams is a level-10 composer." LP states, matter-of-factly.

"I have no idea who either of those guys are, and, tell you the truth, I don't really care, either." I bluntly say, a smug smile on my face as I see obviously fake reactions of shock and anger from the two boys. Jesse's reactions are much stronger, which is to be expected, knowing him.

"Well, you know what? I am gonna try to change that mindset, with a little thing I call movie-cations." Jesse said. I raise my eyebrows. "Movie-cations?" LP and I ask at the same time.

"Movie-cations are movie educations, where I introduce a friend of mine to a few films that are essential for watching at least once in your life. I have a few of my own, but luckily, LP was gracious enough to provide me with some of his own." Jesse explained, as he pulled out another stack of DVDs.

"Can I show her these ones, man?" LP asked. "Sure." Jesse responded, as he pushed the stack of DVDs over to his friend. The boy with the beanie dramatically cleared his throat, and said, "Lady and gentle-nerd, allow me to present… the fabulous, most groovy… Michael Mann films!"

As if on cue, LP pulled out a stack of films. "Let's start with a lovely little film called 'Thief'! 1981, a younger James Caan, what could be better?" LP asked no one, as I sipped my juice box. Probably a lot of things. Maybe millions of things.

"Our next film is a wonderful war movie that is nowhere near as long as Saving Private Ryan, 'The Last of the Mohicans'. This film is amazing, and it has great performances. And it's a departure from Mann's general genre, which is crime films. Speaking of which…" LP said, pointing down the DVD, and grabbing another one.

"'Heat', Michael Mann's magnum opus, and my personal favorite movie ever made. Amazing cast, possibly the greatest shootout in film history. Not gonna lie, I cry at the end of this movie every time I watch it." LP tells me, as I stare at the cover of the DVD.

"Let me see that." I demanded, and LP obliged, handing me the DVD. I examined the DVD, and stared at the cover. It was some blue DVD with Al Pacino, Robert de Niro, and Val Kilmer on the cover.

My first and only question: "Why is it blue? And why is Val Kilmer playing a character that's not Batman?"

LP shook his head, and took the DVD back from me. Uncharacteristically rude. "It's blue because of stylistic purposes. And you are aware that Val Kilmer has played more than just Batman, right? Hell, that's not even one of his best roles!" LP exclaimed, setting the DVD down, and grabbing another one.

"'The Insider', another one starring Al Pacino, this one is a film about a guy making a statement about smoking. Trust me, that single-sentence description doesn't give this movie the credit it deserves." LP said, before setting the film down.

As he grabbed the next one, LP looked up at me, and saw that I actually was a little more interested. My head was tilted, and I was eyeing the next and last DVD. Both him and Jesse took notice, and were obviously pretty happy.

I don't get why they're doing this for me. I mean, I know why Jesse is, but I can't begin to understand why LP is. I guess he just loves movies too, and is getting closer to me because of us both being on the Bellas.

So, the son of a bitch knew this, and exploited it. Genius. I guess Jesse is smarter than he looks.

"The next and final movie of Michael Mann that I own is another one of my personal favorites, which, like Heat, is also shot in L.A, my hometown. Beca, I present to you 'Collateral'. If you know Tom Cruise only for action movies where he plays the hero, which I must admit are mostly good, you'd be surprised to find he's actually playing, and I'm quoting Jamie Foxx in the movie here, a badass sociopath. Even as someone who knows you don't like movies, I still think you'd probably love this movie." LP explains to me with a smile. And, you know what? I smile back, taking them both off guard.

Why did I smile? Because I could sympathize with them being really passionate about something. It was all-too obvious to me that they loved the stuff they were talking about. They were genuinely in love with these movies. They knew 'em like the back of their heads.

"These all sound pretty okay, actually. Would you mind renting a few to me at some point down the road?" I ask. "Sure. Which ones?" LP asks. "Yeah, pick a time and a place! We'll make it a date!" Jesse adds in. I'm pretty sure we all realized that him adding in the word 'date' isn't very subtle.

"But I'll only watch them on one condition. And I'm talking to the both of you about this." I say, just as I'm putting my books into my bag. LP's eyebrows raise. "What is it?" He asks. "Swear to me that you'll both at least watch one of these with me, just to help me understand them a little better."

LP and Jesse nod their heads. "Okay, sure." Jesse says. "No, not 'okay, sure', I need you both to promise me that you'll do this with me, because if you don't, then I'm gonna be lost. So, do you both swear to do this?" I ask them.

Almost instantly, LP says, "I swear." Jesse, on the other hand, is a little more humorous about it. "I solemnly swear to help you watch these wonderful movies." He even put his hand to his heart. "Okay."

Then, just as I'm zipping up my backpack, and putting my poetry book in, I get a text from Aubrey. "Oh, shit. Come on, LP. We're-", I start, but he finishes the sentence for me. "-Gonna be late? I know. I got the text. In fact, up until this point, I completely forgot we were in a group chat." He says, getting off the grass.

I get off the grass, and we start walking away. Jesse follows suit, with the juice boxes and DVDs in his hands. "Well, guess we'll have to finish our movie-cation later today." He says.

"We can't. We'll both be busy with Bellas practice. Aubrey is making us bust our asses practicing." LP interjects, clearly a little pissed. I sure as Hell don't blame him. Aubrey's been up my own ass, too. Especially since our little chat after the first practice.

"Oh, okay. Well, you're probably gonna wanna be ready for the Riff-Off." Jesse says. Yeah, I don't know what that is. And, judging by the look on LP's face, he doesn't either. "What the Hell is a Riff-Off?" He asks, speaking for both of us.

* * *

 **FRIDAY**

Five days had passed, and both LP and Beca were no closer to knowing what a Riff-Off was. And walking into the pool area, with all of the other Bellas following Aubrey, they were just as confused as they were on Sunday.

LP's POV.

A pool. Why, of all the places on campus, does this 'riff-off' have to take place at a pool? An empty, 12 foot deep pool? God, the logistics of this place are at an absolute zero.

I hate pools. Ever since I was a kid, I've always been afraid that I'd drown and die in one. I'd heard stories about kids falling in to deep, and never managing to swim their way back to the surface. And on that note, I have never set foot in the water at the beach, or at any local pool near my house. I don't know why, but every time I see water, I have an incredibly adverse reaction to it. I'm like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable. Water is my kryptonite.

The second we walk into the pool, my eyes are assaulted by bright, flashing lights. I think my eyes are having a seizure! But, fortunately, I have my shades with me, and… well, if there was ever a reason for wearing them at night, this would be that reason.

I put them on, and the first thing I hear is, "Ladies and douchebags, welcome to the annual Riff-Off!" The line is followed by a round of applause and cheering from all the Acapella groups. Everyone is here, with the exception of the BU Harmonics, who were busy with something else. Then, I spot Jesse among the Trebles, and he sees me, too.

We're happy to see each other, but also have to put that aside, because… well, I'm still a Bella, and he's still a Treble. So, we have no other choice but to nod our heads like douches and mutually suppress our emotions. Seems reasonable, right?

Anyway, we get bombarded with a little info regarding the rules. We have to use our voices, as per expected, we can cut others off, and we can definitely sing any song just so long as it pertains to the category.

"And now, let's get started with the first category! And the first category is…" The announcer, I think his name is Justin, says, pointing to a board, as we all look at it. And the category is…

"Songs about heroes!" Justin yells. And then, a spotlight centers in on the middle of the pool. Aubrey sees this, and starts pacing towards it. Unfortunately, so does Bumper…

Aubrey runs as fast as she can in high heels, but she's too late. By the time she gets to the center, Bumper and some of his crew are already on the job.

BUMPER: I am so high, I can hear heaven…

Oh, God. 'Hero', by Chad Kroeger? From the original Spider-Man? I mean, I love that movie, but they couldn't choose another song?

BUMPER: Oh, but heaven, no heaven, don't hear me…

DONALD: And they say that a hero can save us! I'm not gonna stand here and wait!

BUMPER: I'll hold on to-

Then, Chloe jumps in, thank God. I was afraid that we were gonna get bumped off the second we started.

CHLOE: Doo da da da dum, da da doom ga day.

I guess that's our cue, because as soon as Chloe finishes that note, not only am I walking toward the center, but the whole damn crew is. And the second we're standing right by Chloe and Aubrey, we're singing with 'em.

Chloe looks at me, and nods her head. I know the signal, and I sure as Hell know the drill.

LP: Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the Gods?

AMY: Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?

CR: Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?

AUBREY: Late at night, I toss and turn and dream of what I need.

ALL THE BELLAS: I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero until the end of the night! He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be-

Then, we know what it's like to get cut off when one member of the High Notes starts singing. True to their name, they are very fucking high… Oh, boy.

The girl who interrupted, Deborah, starts singing Mariah Carey's 'Hero'. It went about as well as could be expected from someone who is high. Oh, who am I kidding? It was terrible.

The singing was off key, and didn't fit in with the rhythm of the original. That, and nobody else in her group sang along with her.

Poor girl. The rendition is terrible, yes, but she doesn't deserve to be laughed at, or made fun of, which everyone else is doing, even a few of the Bellas. And especially a couple of the members from the Trebles.

As per expected, the High Notes are booted off. Deborah walks away, humiliated, and Justin spins the wheel that determines what the next category of song is, and the category is…

"Songs about sex!" This time, it's just us. The Bellas and the Treblemakers. The real fight is about to begin. And this time, when the spotlight hits the middle of the stage, we're the first to the center. This time, Cynthia Rose gets us started with…

CR: Na na na, come on.

THE OTHERS: Ba ba ba ba.

CR: Na na na, come on. Come on. 'Cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it, sex in the air, I don't care! I love the smell of it! Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me! Na na na-

Then, we get interrupted. Again. This time, it's by Donald, one of the other Trebles, and the guy Bumper was talking to at the party.

DONALD: Sex, baby. Let's talk about you and me, let's talk about sex.

BUMPER: A little bit, a little bit.

THE TREBLES: Sex, baby. Let's talk about you and me. Let's talk about-

These guys are good. Luckily for us, Stacie steps in with a beat of her own.

STACIE: All through the night, I'll make love to you. Like you want me to.

Soon, we all jump in.

THE BELLAS: I'll make love to you, like you want me to.

Then, the truly unexpected happens when Jesse of all people cuts Stacie off. He steps in, the Trebles in tow, and goes off on his own with one.

JESSE: And I guess that's just the woman in you… that brings out the man in me.

BUMPER: I know I can't help myself…

As Bumper sang, he looked at Amy. Wait, what?! When the Hell did that happen? Was there something that I missed? Or am I just crazy? Maybe the latter.

But it really all came down to Jesse, didn't it? What was he doing this for? Well, expectedly, he was looking at Beca the entire time, singing to her, making playful little notions and movements.

What really took me off guard was how good a sport Beca was about it. I thought she would have flipped him, and the other Trebles, off. But, surprisingly, she played along with this, blowing Jesse little kisses, and clapping at their choice of song.

JESSE: It feels like the first time…

THE OTHER TREBLES: Oooh, yeah… ah…

JESSE: It feels like the very first time!

Then, Beca gets a look in her eyes. I don't know if I'm right or night, but that look gives me the impression that she has an idea. And, if her stepping into the middle of the pool, standing right before Jesse and all the other Trebles didn't already give me that idea, then this did.

BECA: It's going down, fade to blackstreet, the homies got RB, collab' creations. Bump like acne, no doubt. I put it down, never slouch. As long as my credit can vouch, a dog couldn't catch me ass out. Tell me who can stop when Dre makin' moves, attracting honeys like a magnet, giving 'em eargasms with my mellow accent. Still moving this flavor with the homies Blackstreet and Teddy, the original rump shakers.

Wow. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed. Beca had us all interested. Well, all of us except for Bumper, but, still, I rest my case. Not only that, but even Jesse himself wants Beca to keep going. He mouths to her those exact words, and then…

BECA: Shorty get down, good lord. Baby got 'em all open all over town, strictly biz, she don't play around. Cover much grounds, got game by the pound.

And, yeah, we all joined in. At first it was just a few, starting with Chloe, then it grew. I was the second one up, soon joined by everyone else. Even Aubrey, who seems so damn hesitant about it all, actually joins in. It sounds a little something like this:

LP: I like the way you work it…

AMY: No diggity!

BECA: Gotta bag it up.

CHLOE: I like the way you work it…

LP: No diggity!

AUBREY: Gotta bag it up, oh yeah!

CHLOE: I like the way you work it…

BECA: No diggity!

LP: Gotta bag it up, bag it up babe. I like the way you work it…

AUBREY: No diggity!

CHLOE: Gotta bag it up, bag it up babe...

And Beca closes us off with, "We out." That line is then followed by a round of applause, as well as a lot of cheering, from the audience. Wow. This is great! We just pulled off something pretty awesome! From the looks of it, we're-

"Disqualified." Justin says. WAIT, WHAT? "Great try, but you needed to match all of the words. And you didn't. You missed one. So, this one goes to the Trebles!" The Trebles, except for Jesse, bump chests, high five, and do… victory dances?

Seriously though, what the fuck just happened? We messed up one word, and that gets us disqualified? What kind of insane troll logic is that horsecrap?

Anyway, we all turn around, and start walking off. "Well, I hope you're all happy! Because if Beca hadn't jumped in, then we wouldn't have been disqualified!" She exclaims, going off the rails on Beca, playing the blame game.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! This was not Beca's fault! We all joined in with her, even you, Aubrey. She was just thinking on her feet, and used that to her advantage." I tell Aubrey. But she won't have it. She rolls her eyes, and says, "Can you not stand up for each other, for once? I get that you two have a massive toner for one another, but-"

That's when Chloe, surprisingly, cuts her off. "Okay, Aubrey, they don't have a toner for each other. They're just friends! That's all! Don't accuse them of anything!" Wow. Thanks for sticking up for us, Chlo.

"Come on, guys. What we just did out there was awesome. We shouldn't let one loss take us down a peg. Right?" Beca reasons, to which the others, sans Aubrey, nod in agreement.

Then, I hear a certain brown-haired douche in a jacket catcalling someone… right in our direction. I turn around, and much to the surprise of no one, Bumper is walking up to us, his crew of assholes in tow, with a smug smirk on his face.

"Well, well, well. Once losers, always losers, am I right? Well, unless it's you, fatass." He says, clearly singling out Amy, who grits her teeth in response, and flips him off. I look at Jesse, and see him frown, and mouth, "I'm sorry…"

"Why don't you fuck off? I'm sure you have better things to do than brag." I ask Bumper. All of the other Trebles, save for Jesse, go "ooh" at my response. Then, Bumper's smirk turns into one of fake shock and sadness.

"Ooh! I have a better idea! Why don't your slutty girlfriends slit your wrists, wrap nooses around your necks, and jump off a building?" He mockingly suggests, as he and the other Trebles, save for Jesse, laugh.

While they laugh, I look at the faces of the Bellas. Almost all of them are shocked. And so am I. I knew Bumper was a prick the second I interacted with him when I first came here, but this… this is just evil.

Then, Jesse steps toward Bumper, and says, "Okay, that's taking it too far! You shouldn't tell them to go kill themselves! That's just cruel, man." Thank fucking God Jesse didn't just side with them. If he had… I don't wanna think about that what-if. Not now, not ever.

"Excuse me? Are you siding with them?" Bumper asks, anger evident in his voice. Then, Jesse's face gets wide-eyed. His expression turns to one of confusion. He doesn't know what to do, or what to say. And I'm not gonna stand for him being dragged down.

"Leave him alone, asshole. And leave us alone." I say, keeping my distance from Bumper. "Excuse me, but who the fuck do you think you are?!" He asks, his temper rising with my own.

"I'm his friend, and these girls are my friends. So if you have a problem with them, you have a problem with me. And I have no problem with breaking my foot off in your ass. So, why don't you shut the Hell up, leave my friends alone, and stay out of my way? Sound good? Good." I tell him, before looking at the other Bellas, then at Jesse, who are just as surprised as I am at my anger.

"Come on. Let's get the Hell out of here. I don't want to spend another minute in this fucking pool." I say, turning to leave. Then, I look behind me, and see not just the Bellas following me, but also Jesse.

Well, at least I did something right, tonight.

THIRD PERSON POV

Bumper was furious at the raven haired boy's insults. He had met people who dared to stand up to him before, but not like this. Not in the way he did.

He clenched his fist, and angrily walked toward the boy in the beanie, who was just about to leave. "Follow me." He commanded the other guys in the Trebles, who did as they were told, and followed their leader, like sheep to a farmer.

As he approached LP, he pushed through the Bellas, who looked at him as if he were insane. Then, once he was directly behind LP, he grabbed him by the shoulder, turned him around, and delivered a punch directly to his face.

LP was knocked to the ground. He groaned, and heard the other Bellas, as well as Jesse and the crowd, screaming and gasping.

He tried to get up, but Bumper kicked him in the side, knocking him down once more. "Well, what are you waiting for?! Help me beat the shit out of this fucker!" Bumper yelled, looking to his fellow Trebles for support.

Groaning and groggy, LP looked at the other Trebles. In their faces, he saw only pity and fear. "Come on! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" Bumper exclaimed, as LP weakly made an effort to get up.

"Fine… I'll do this myself." Bumper said in a low, angry voice, as he spun around, and kicked LP in the chest, knocking him down once more.

And the hits didn't stop there. Bumper repeatedly punched, kicked, and knocked LP to the ground. "Not so tough now, are you asshole?! You wanna talk some more shit?! Well, come on!"

" _It's okay. I can take this. It's not like it's the first time I've gotten beaten up."_ LP thought to himself, as Bumper continued pummeling him.

Then, the unexpected happened. And it made LP frightened. Chloe ran over, and grabbed on Bumper's arm. "Stop it! Leave him alone!" She yelled, trying to pry him off of LP.

" _Chloe… don't…"_ LP thought to himself. Then, just as he thought things couldn't get any worse, they got worse. Far worse. Because at that moment, Bumper grabbed Chloe's wrist, and forced her to the ground.

A look of shock struck all present company. LP, the Bellas, Jesse, and the Trebles stood back, and watched in horror as Bumper towered over here. "Don't ever touch me again. You understand?" He growled, as Chloe slowly backed away from him.

"I know why you're trying to defend him. It's because you want him, isn't it? You want to fuck him. You want to fuck him because you're a whore. You're a dirty, disgusting whore. And you're nothing to anyone."

In that moment, something inside LP awoke. Something angry, cold, and violent. And as a shocked, close to tears Chloe looked on in despair at the man standing over her, he slowly rose up from where he was, and ran at Bumper.

Then, just as the brown-haired boy had the time to turn around and see what his enemy was up to, he realized he was too late, for the raven-haired boy had ran directly into him, knocking him to the ground.

Bumper was breathless, as he tried to get up. But LP wouldn't have it. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and slammed his body back against the ground. And with a growl so low and so fierce, it frightened the others, LP said, "My turn."

LP knew he could stop there. He knew that he had the other guy pinned down to the ground. He didn't need to drag things out any further. But a part of him didn't want to stop. And that part of him wasn't going to let up. So, he rammed his right fist into the side of Bumper's face. Then, he did so again, only this time, he used his left fist.

Then he did it again, and again, and again, and again, and again, each time using a different hand. He grunted as he did so, letting out violent, angry yells as he let down as many blows as he could to Bumper's face.

And all the Bellas and Jesse could do was watch in horror as their friend became the one fighting.

After LP had punched Bumper's face at least 12 times, leaving the other boy with both his eyes blackened, his cheeks swollen, and a few of his teeth missing, he grabbed Bumper by the throat, raised his face to his own, and demanded, in a hushed, low voice, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Touch her or any of them like that again, and next time I'll do much worse. You understand me?"

Bumper whimpered, and nodded his head. "Good." LP bluntly remarked, before slapping him across the face, knocking the already-defeated leader of the Trebles down. " _Poetic justice, if you ask me."_

He turned around, and saw the shocked faces of not only his friends, but also the Trebles. "What are you all looking at? He got what he was asking for." LP justified his actions, even though he felt no need to. He groaned as he walked toward the girls and Jesse. "Let's go." He commanded, before turning to walk away.

But as the others left, only Jesse stayed behind. He watched as Bumper slowly got up, spitting out a chipped tooth. "What the Hell, Swanson? You had the chance to prove yourself to us, and you didn't take it? What the fuck is your problem?" He asked, all while Jesse looked down at the ground. For a few moments, Jesse took the time to think through rationally what he thought his next move should be, until it came to a point where he knew exactly what he had to do. "If beating up my friend is what it'd take to prove myself to you, then being in the Trebles isn't worth it. I quit."

And with that, Jesse spun around, and left, not for one second turning his head around to see the reactions on the faces of the Treblemakers. But if he had, all that he would see would be vacant looks and expressions of sadness on their faces.

* * *

Once they were all outside, LP finally stopped, panting from the fight he just had. He just realized that, after all those minutes, he hadn't the time to just take a breath.

As he did so, he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He looked around, and saw Chloe, with tears in her eyes. "Thank you…"

Then, LP stood up, looking at the other girls, and saw just how down they looked. He had never seen them look so… broken. Especially Aubrey, who also had tears slowly running down her face.

LP, who still had Chloe's hand resting on his shoulder, pulled the redhead into a hug, as she cried into his chest. "It's okay… I won't let him do anything like that again, to any of you." LP promised, holding her tight.

Upon hearing this, Chloe looked at him and asked, "You swear?" Already knowing the answer, LP nodded his head, and said, "I swear."

 _Author's Note: Jesus, LP can take a punch. And he can dish it out just as easily, which is also good. HPMarvel, thank you for your kind words, and I hope you stick with me on this crazy whirlwind adventure! Sagittarius, I'm not gonna reveal all my tricks too soon, so putting together the McDaniel boy and our lovely redhead isn't entirely certain or set in stone. All you need to know is that this definitely isn't BeChloe, and for one reason only. Hope you stick with it! Anyways, thank you all for reading! Please leave a review telling me your thoughts on the story or in ways that I can improve my writing. And, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, signing off!_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: _A Group To Call Our Own_

Nobody said anything until they made it back to LP, Jesse, and Benji's dorm room. As they walked through the corridors of the dorm, LP had his hood draped over his head, so as to not attract attention from anyone who just so happened to walk by.

He looked over at Chloe, who stood on his right. She hadn't said a thing since the fight. " _I'm so sorry, Chloe. I know I can say that a thousand times over and over, but it wouldn't change a Goddamn thing. But I'm gonna try to make it up to you. I promise you that."_

LP then looked on his left, and saw Jesse standing next to him. " _I can't believe that Jesse quit the Trebles. I knew he didn't really like Bumper, but, at the same time, quitting doesn't seem like something he'd do. Not that I'm angry at him for it."_

Then, just as LP was thinking about this, he was tapped on the shoulder by Jesse. "LP, we're already at the dorm, man." He said, as LP's eyes widened. He had become so lost in thought that he failed to realize that he and his friends were already at his room.

"Oh. Uh, sorry. How about I knock on the door?" LP said, a small, pained smile on his face. "Don't, man. We don't need blood on the door. And you've damaged it enough. I'll knock." Jesse said.

LP shrugged, and moved out of the way. Then, Jesse knocked on the door. Five seconds later, and Benji, who was not wearing his magician cape, opened the door.

"Hey, guys. What's… whoa." He said, upon examining LP's face, and seeing his roommates surrounded by the Bellas. "Uh… won't you come in?" Benji asked, somewhat awkwardly.

He then stood out of the doorway, as all of the Bellas made their way into the room. LP was amazed to find that they were able to fit all of the girls into their room, considering that only three people slept in it.

* * *

LP'S POV

* * *

It's only now that I realize my face hurts like Hell. My right cheek is throbbing, and there's blood coming out of my mouth. And it's not just my face, either.

My hand is hot, and there's Bumper's own blood on it. It takes only a few seconds for Benji to put two-and-two together to figure out that I got into a fight.

"Who was it with?" He asks. I sigh, sitting on my bed. "It was Bumper." I murmur, looking at the ground. "Or, as I like to call him, Prince Fucknuts." Amy butts in, only for Stacie to slightly elbow her.

"Jesus…" Benji silently says, as Beca comes over, and gets down on one knee. She looks at my face. "Oh, God." I hear her whisper, as she looks at my fucked face.

"Tell me, is my face still gonna look pretty?" I ask, a slight sarcastic edge in my voice. Even after I get kicked the crap out of, I tell a joke. Why do I do this? Is it just because it makes me feel better? Or because I just feel better when the mood is lighter? Whatever the case, I just feel better laughing through most of the bullshit. It helps ease me.

Unsurprisingly, Beca isn't laughing. She feels my face, and runs her hand down my bruised cheek. "We need to get some ice. And if there are any bandages, grab 'em." She commands, as she leaves with the other Bellas and Benji.

Soon, everyone is leaving the room, going to look for ice and bandages. Well, everyone except for Chloe, Aubrey, and Jesse. The first person I look at is Jesse, who looks back at me. "So… you quit the Trebles?" I ask.

He nods his head in response. "Yeah." He bluntly says. "Fuck… I'm sorry, man." I apologize. Then, he shrugs his shoulders, and says, "It's fine. After what that asshole did, I didn't want to spend another minute with them, anyways."

I smile a little, happy to know that he's at least against them. "So… what now?" I question. Jesse inhales, and says, "I have no idea. I sure as Hell know I don't want to be in the Trebles, again." That's a relief.

But, at the same time, I know that Jesse is good at singing. He proved himself tonight at the Riff-Off. I'd suggest to Aubrey that he could join the Bellas, but, at the same time, I'm pretty sure that Aubrey wouldn't be open to the idea of another guy in the group. So, that idea is off the table.

At that moment, Jessica, Stacie, and Amy come back in, with Jessica holding some ice in her hands. "Here. Let me take a look at him." She commands, as she walks towards me, and looks at my swollen cheek.

Jess puts the ice in a plastic baggie, and wraps it in a paper towel. "So, this is probably gonna hurt like Hell. Well, at least for a few seconds." She tells me. "You know you could have lied a little." I joke.

"Ha ha. Hold still, I'm gonna put this to your face for about fifteen seconds. Okay?" She explains, and I nod my head. "Let's get this over with." I remark.

Just as she's about to put the ice to my face, I stop her. "Wait a second. You're probably gonna wanna check my head, right? To see if I have a concussion or something?" I ask. Jessica nods her head. "Yeah, that's a good point. Take your hat off."

So, to help her out a little bit, I pull my beanie off my head. It's the first time they've ever seen me without it on. "Okay… here we go." Jessica says, as she quickly puts the ice to my face.

"Argh… fuck." I groan. "It stings. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, but dammit if it doesn't hurt." I say, gritting my teeth. "I know. Hold still, LP. Five seconds, left. Five, four, three, two, one." She pulls it off.

Jess looks me directly in the eyes. "How do you feel?" She asks. "Like I just got my ass kicked. And like I just got ice put to my face. But, all jokes aside, I feel better. Thank you, Jessica. I… I appreciate it." I tell her.

"Don't mention it. And on you feeling better, I'd say that's a relief." She remarks, setting the wrapped-up bag of ice down, and goes over to stand next to Jesse, who looks at me with sympathy. "You sure you're gonna be okay?" He questions.

Before I even have time to answer, Beca comes back in with a bandage for my face. She's followed by the others, and walks over to me. "Oh, I see you already got some ice on it. Where'd you find it?" She questions, as she tears open the bandage package.

"Amy, Stacie and I got some ice from the cafeteria. Who would've figured it'd still be open late at night?" Jessica tells Beca. "Not me, that's for damn sure." Beca replies, as she prepares to put the bandage on my face.

"Hold still, dude." Beca requests of me. "That was the plan." I respond. Then, she carefully, slowly puts the bandage on my face. It takes her about a minute, but, it's on.

"Well… now that that's done with, I'd like to say thank you guys for that." I say. Chloe smiles, but it's not the same smile she's naturally known for. It's small, and sad. I look at her, and can't help but feel sorry for the crap Bumper told her, or the crap he told the others, too.

I look at Aubrey, and see her standing against our window, her arms crossed. "And, Aubrey…" I start. She looks at me. Pretty soon, I have all of the eyes of the Bellas on me. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of you guys. You didn't deserve to be told to kill yourselves, or be called names, or any shit like that."

After I say that, Beca sighs, and sits down on my bed, right next to me. She awkwardly puts her hand on my shoulder. I look at Beca, then at Chloe, then at Aubrey. "Look… I'm sorry if you think I'm a pain in the ass. You have every right to. And, I know it wasn't my place to-"

"Stop." Aubrey says, rubbing her eyes as she sighs. "Let's just forget about that for now, shall we? What matters is that you stood up for us. Big time. And, I feel I should thank you. So… thank you."

Wow. Just, wow. I never expected Aubrey to say that. The look on Chloe's face tells me she didn't expect it, either. And I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that nobody did.

Then, Beca says, "You know… I don't think I've ever seen you without your hat on." I smile a little. "Yeah… none of you have."

"Why do you wear that hat, anyways?" Amy asks. "Yeah, about that… well, you caught me, it's a hidden part of my body. It's actually my real brain." I say, before making a sound that goes a little like this: "blahhhrrrggghhh!"

They laugh. Even Aubrey laughs. "Seriously though, why do you wear it?" Stacie questioned me, almost immediately breaking up the laughter.

"Well, it was a gift from my Mom. I've had it for years. And, well, I keep it as a memento of her." I told them, honestly and clearly. Then, for some reason, they all got a sad look on their faces. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry, LP. I didn't know." Aubrey says.

"Wait, you didn't know what?" I ask. I'm really fucking confused right now. "Why do you feel sorry for me? It's just a divorce." Then, Aubrey's eyes widen even bigger. "Oh. Oh, God! I thought your Mom died, because you worded it like she died." She explains.

Alright, now my eyes are wide. "Oh. Sorry. God, I gotta work on how I word my sentences." I murmur. Then, I look at the others for about five seconds. We all look at each other, waiting for some kind of response. Then… we laugh. We all just burst out laughing.

When we laughed, I thought we'd all gone crazy. I thought we were crazy. I mean, could you blame me? We'd been insulted by an asshole, I got kicked the crap out of by said asshole, I beat the crap out of said asshole, and someone just mistook me talking about my parents' divorce for my Mom dying.

But, at the same time, it kinda makes perfect sense. We'd been through so much in one night, that to have this one mistake be made was just kinda hilarious. Y'know?

We laughed so hard, we had tears coming down our faces. Then just as we stopped laughing, I realized something. "Hey, guys…" I started. "Yeah?" Beca said, wiping her eyes. "I think Bumper broke my sunglasses when he punched me in the face."

And thus, the laughter continued.

* * *

3RD PERSON POV

* * *

One day later…

Beca walked through the front door of Frank's Diner. When she walked in, she saw LP and Jesse, sitting in a booth, waiting for her.

She walked over, and took a seat next to Jesse. "You're just in time." He said, before taking a sip of his coffee. "In time? In time for what?" Beca asked.

The two looked to LP, who had his hood draped over his head, so as to hopefully not attract attention from other people. "Well, since Jesse quit the Trebles, we've been brainstorming. Now that he's basically out of a musical group, we both know that his musical talent shouldn't go to waste." LP explained.

"Yeah, uh-huh. So, what does that have to do with me, you, and Jesse meeting here?" Beca asked. "Well, we had the idea to form a little group." Jesse said, finishing off the mug of coffee in his hand.

Beca raised her eyebrows at the two boys. Then, she put her elbow on the table, and her fist underneath her chin. "Go on. I'm interested." She said, as LP smiled.

"We thought about making a group where we can do whatever we want to do. Where we can write original music, or sing acapella, or use equipment." LP explained, as Jesse turned to Beca. "That's where you come in, Beca."

Beca twiddled her thumbs, realizing what they meant. "You're telling me that you two called me here just to see if I could mix songs together for you?" She asked, as LP and Jesse nodded their heads.

"Mmm hmm. I mix music myself, but I need to get better at it. Jesse told me that you're already pretty good at it yourself, so, I figured, with your talent, we could use that to our advantage." LP said, as Beca rubbed her chin, pretending to be lost in thought.

"Hmm… we perform whatever we want, we do whatever we want, and we run by our own rules?" She asked. "Yep, pretty much. That, and we can also ask anyone who wants to join in. So, what do you think?" Jesse asked.

Beca removed her hand from underneath her chin, and said, "This is crazy. This is stupid. And yet, at the same time, it's brilliant. I'm in." Then, LP and Jesse cheered, slapping their hands together, and clinking together their empty cups that once had coffee in them.

"But first, we need a name. Every music group since the very first one has had a name, so, what do we call ourselves?" Jesse questioned, leaving them all wondering what they could call their band.

Then, LP said, "You know what? We'll figure it out, later. At least once we have more members. Or, Hell, maybe just you guys, me, and Benji would be enough. Who knows? At least now we have a group to call our own."

 _Author's Note: This one was more of a breather episode, which was surprisingly fun to write. HPMarvel, thanks again for reviewing! I'm glad you loved the previous chapter, and, to answer your question, no, Jesse will not be joining the Bellas because, come on, Aubrey was hesitant enough letting LP in, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't let Jesse, a former Treble, into the Bellas, despite quitting the Trebles and being a friend of LP's. To the guest, thank you for reviewing! I'm happy that you like the story, and I myself have seen stories like this done before, and I've seen ones that were started but not yet finished. Sagittarius, I'm happy that you were stunned by the previous chapter. You're welcome on the Bumper thing, and, you wanna know a little secret? I don't like the character, either. Yeah, I don't want to make LP naturally a fighter, because I feel it wouldn't fit his character, but he is able to hold his own in situations like that. Also, yes, I will be revealing his name down the line! It's not Lance Parker, but good guess! Speaking of which, it's hint time! The next hint is this: the L stands for the first name of the director of an animated movie made in the early part of the 2010s, and the P stands for the name of a supporting character from a movie made in 2012. Anyway, thank you all for reading, please a review with your thoughts and criticisms for the story, and, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, wishing you all a happy New Year in the case that I don't post anything tomorrow or on Monday! Goodnight!_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: _Is This What You Want?_

TWO WEEKS LATER...

Beca tapped the keys of the keyboard on her laptop. As she did so, she sipped from her water bottle. What was the brunette up to? Well, she was mixing music. She had her 'Beats by Dre' in, and was humming along to the song she was mixing.

 _Come gather 'round people wherever you roam,_

 _And admit that the waters around you have grown._

 _Accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone_

 _For if time to you is worth saving…_

 _Then you better start swimming or you'll sink like a stone._

 _Oh, the times, they are a-changing._

" _The sound of Bob Dylan in my ears is like an early Christmas present."_ She thought to herself, smiling.

Then, as soon as the song came to an end, syncing up with where she wanted to end her edit, she pressed 'pause', and listened to the piece in its entirety.

A mixture of two of Bob Dylan's finest songs: 'The Times, They Are-A Changin' and 'You Ain't Goin' Nowhere'. " _What could be better?"_ Beca internally asked herself.

For Beca, it was a glorious mixture. And it was. A seamless blend of the two songs, and, in spite of them being about different topics, they fit like, in what Beca could only think of her Father saying, two peas in a pod.

Beca chuckled, and finished off her coffee. She never understood the appeal of cream and sugar. " _If you put too much in, you'd basically end up with overly sugary crap. Who wants to drink that? I don't."_

She sighed, and clicked on her keyboard a few final times, and then, logged out of her computer. "Victory is mine…", Beca said to herself, as she got off the bench she sat at, and walked away.

* * *

While walking, she listened to her iTunes playlist. She bobbed her head slowly to the sound of the music. But it wasn't a song with lyrics that she was listening to. It was an instrumental piece composed by an electronic artist. That artist was Moby, and the song was called 'God Moving Over the Face of the Waters'.

The song had no words, but it didn't need them. For Beca, what the song gave her was a powerful enough experience. The piece was slow, moving, constantly rising, what she could only describe as 'what would happen if God himself allowed me to die, and took me off of the Earth'.

She loved everything about the song. The piano, the atmospheric, haunting feel, the way the song slowly rose into something heavenly. It was a beautiful thing, and she held to the song dearly.

As she walked to her job, where she would be meeting LP, Jesse, and Benji, Beca heard her phone buzzing, interrupting the song she was listening to. She pulled it out, and saw who was calling: her Father.

The phone continued to buzz in her hands, as her Father, Warren, tried to get a hold of her. But Beca didn't want to talk to him. Not now, at least. She wasn't in the mood. So, she responded with an automated text message: "Sorry, can't talk right now."

Beca sighed, feeling somewhat guilty for ignoring her Father. But, at the same time, she didn't. He was the reason her parents were divorced. The reason she wanted to be a DJ. The reason she was at Barden. The reason she joined the Bellas. The reason behind all of this.

Then, as she thought about this, she got a buzz from her phone. She looked at it, and saw a voice mail from, who else but, her Father.

Huffing, Beca opened up her phone, and pulled up the telephone app. She clicked on 'voicemail', and listened to what Warren had to say. "Hey, Beca. Um... I just wanted to tell you that I heard you joined an acapella group, here on campus. And I also wanted to tell you that I'm proud that you've decided to do this. And, despite knowing that you want to be a DJ and move to LA, I just want you to really take the time necessary to consider this question: 'is this what you want?'. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that. I love you, kiddo. Call me when you get this."

Beca's expression turned into a frown. She couldn't remember the last time her Father said the words 'I'm proud of you'...

* * *

LP didn't just like Beca and Jesse's job. He absolutely adored it. Everything about it. He loved the shop that it took place in, the fact that there was literally an album for just about every artist he knew, and even a room where they played local radio.

As Jesse showed him the radio room, LP looked in wonderment as he saw the tech they used to broadcast all over town. "It's beautiful, isn't it?", Jesse asked. "Wonderful.", LP remarked, still staring at the equipment.

Jesse chuckled, and said, "Yeah, it's pretty cool, all things considered." At that moment, Benji walked back in from the building's bathroom, looking a bit disturbed.

"Benji, are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost." LP asked, taking his eyes off the radio room's equipment. Benji bit his lip, and said, "Jesse, for your information, there's a dead rat in the stall on the far left. How long do you think it's been there?"

"WHAT? Oh, shit. Luke is gonna kill me!", Jesse exclaimed, eyes widened. He immediately left the room to go investigate Benji's claim.

Benji, who was still biting his lip, turned to LP, clearly trying to hold in laughter. "What's so funny?", LP asked. At that point, Jesse was in the bathroom. "Hey, what the Hell?", he said, loud enough for his two friends to hear him.

Then, Benji burst out laughing. "There's no dead rat, is there?", LP asked, realizing why Benji was giggling like a madman. Speaking of Benji, the guy nodded his head, revealing to LP that he had played their friend like a game of tag.

An irritated Jesse walked back into the room, and saw Benji holding in his laughter once more, and LP smirking. "There was no rat, was there?", Jesse asked. "NOPE!", Benji yelled, not being able to hold back his laughter any longer. "Motherfucker!", Jesse exclaimed, prompting LP to laugh as well.

"Am I late to the party, or did I just miss something?", Beca asked. LP, who was still laughing, said, "Yeah. Jesse just got made." In response, Beca asked, "Let me guess: the rat in the toilet gag, again?"

Jesse slowly nodded his head. "Wait, what do you mean 'again'?", He asked, confused. "I mean that Benji pulled the same prank on me. Only when he did it, there actually was something in the toilet: a plastic rat."

Then, LP, Jesse, and Benji were all laughing. They couldn't help it. They thought it was funny. Even Beca herself thought that it was funny. Not that she'd let the boys know.

Beca rolled her eyes, and said, "Are we gonna get this over with? If there's ever a time to do this, it's now. We need to finish this song. We've put it off long enough, and now, I think it's time we start our little music group up. Don't you?"

The boys nodded their heads. "Beca's right. We should make this song. Benji, you have the lyrics?", LP asked. "Check.", Benji said, holding up his notebook.

LP turned to Jesse. "You're sure we have the recording equipment up and running?", He asked. "Check.", The taller boy said.

Then, LP turned to Beca. "You already know I've got a few sample recordings of mixed-together music, so, why bother asking?", The brunette responded.

The raven-haired boy looked at his friend, and smiled. He was glad to have faith in the people around him. It made him feel more confident in his pursuits.

"So, to borrow something that a certain blonde captain once told us, 'let's get rocking'." Beca said, prompting the boys to get ready.

Within fifteen minutes, they had everything set up. The computer, the equipment, the recorders, all that they needed to make a great song. LP clapped his hands together, and smiled. "We're in business."

* * *

Inside Casa Bella, Chloe Beale sat on the couch in the living room. There was nobody in the house, save for her. She sat alone, waiting in the living room.

But what was she waiting for? Even Chloe herself asked this question multiple times in her mind. She had no idea why she was even in the house at all. She could be out, studying, shopping, or simply going for a walk.

She didn't need to be cooped up inside that big, nearly-empty house. So, why was she?

Chloe stared at the wall, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, she knew she could leave any time she wanted to. At the same time, the prospect of sitting completely still for as long as she wanted sounded somewhat promising to her.

She stared at the wall, as if she was waiting for it to change color, or for a painting to suddenly appear on it, or for it to open a door to some fantastical alternate universe for her to walk through and explore.

But none of this happened. And soon, Chloe became lost in deep thought. " _Think back to the last time you remember feeling truly happy. Think about it. When was the last time you remember truly feeling like anything was possible?"_

As she was thinking, Chloe still stared at the blank wall. And just like before, nothing had changed. But the combination of the emptiness of the house, the empty, unchanging wall, and losing herself in her thoughts made her eyes flutter.

And, eventually, they shut altogether, as her head rested against a pillow.

* * *

"Is this good, Chloe?" The deep, husky voice asked, waking Chloe with a start. She couldn't see anything. The room was dark. No lights were turned on, and no candles had been lit. A bit unromantic, but, what could you expect from a mostly sexual relationship?

"Yeah, that's good." Chloe said, feeling comfortable with the position she was in. "Okay. Where and how do you want to start?" The voice questioned her once more.

It took a moment for Chloe to decide how she wanted to play this game. Did she want slow, passionate, and sweet, or rough, playful, and swift?

There were benefits to both, of course, but she ultimately decided that the former sounded a bit more appealing to her. "Start a little lower. Can we make this… y'know, not too spontaneous?" She nervously requested, as the voice laughed.

"Relax. We've done this before, remember?" The male voice said, as Chloe giggled. "Okay." She said. He was right. They had done it, before. And there weren't many problems then. Why would there be any now?

So, she allowed the boy to move around, as she lay quietly. Waiting. Waiting for them to get started.

Then, nothing happened. She felt nothing. She couldn't feel anything. She couldn't feel or see the gentleman in her room with her. There was complete silence.

"Tom?" Chloe asked. "Um, yeah?" Tom asked, sounding just as confused as she. "Are you doing okay?" She asked in response. "Um… well, honestly, no." He said.

Chloe sighed, and turned on the lamp. She could finally see his body, and saw him under the covers of her bed, slowly inching up next to her.

"God, this won't work." She said to herself, turning on the lights. Tom sighed, and rubbed his hand over his sweat-drenched brow. "Yeah. What's happening to us? We've done this, what, five times now? Why is it just now starting to backfire?" Tom asked, as he sat up.

Chloe frowned, and hugged him from behind, caressing his back. "I don't get it, either. I mean, when you said you were finally ready for us to take this a little further, I thought that there'd be an instant change. God, I was so stupid. I'm sorry. I act on impulse a lot, and I wish I didn't."

Then, Tom looked up, and removed her soft, warm hands from his back. He looked into her eyes, and cupped her face with his own hands. "Hey, hey, hey. Don't think like that. I'm happy that we're taking this to another level. But we'll take it slow. Go at our own pace. You think that will work?"

Chloe smiled, and touched the hand that felt her face. There was a warmth, a comfort, something she had never felt before with Tom. There was a true passion.

Tom climbed on top of Chloe, and then, after a moment's gaze, he leaned forward, and kissed her. She could feel the sparks flying. It was like electricity. Chloe closed her eyes, wanting to feel that same feeling she had tried to feel moments earlier, when she and Tom tried it in the dark.

The kiss lasted a mere thirty seconds. For Chloe, it could have lasted for many hours before she actually opened her eyes again. It was deep, felt, beautiful, everything Chloe had ever wanted. All she wanted from a relationship.

" _Is this what you want?"_

With that question, her eyes bolted open. She looked around the room, but there was no one to be found. Tom was no longer there. But Chloe was still right there, still in bed.

She hopped out from under the covers, and grabbed her shirt and pants. Chloe slipped into them, and walked out of the door. Then, what she found surprised her: it was the park near the campus of Barden. A beautiful, green, sunny park in the middle of the day.

"What the Hell?", she questioned. As she looked around, Tom was nowhere to be in sight. There was, however, someone wearing a black and white suit, with their back turned to her. This person was just standing, admiring the beauty of the pond that stood next to the lake.

"Oh, good! There's someone here!", Chloe exclaimed, as she paced toward the man. "Um, excuse me! Sir! Could you help me? I'm looking for someone. Would you mind-," Chloe began asking the man, but just before she was about to finish that sentence, the man turned around, and shocked Chloe.

It's not that the man was ugly or unattractive. But he wasn't attractive, either. No, the problem for Chloe was that he didn't have a face.

The man she was trying to talk to was just a body with a head, and a head without hair, eyelashes, a nose, ears, eyes, lips, or a mouth. It was just a head. Then, that same voice spoke.

"Aw, you got all dressed up for little old me?", It asked, making Chloe jump. "Who are you? Where are you? What do you want from me?", She asked.

"I am whatever you want me to be. If you wish to see me, look in front of you. And all I want from you is for you to at least acknowledge the compliment I gave you! Seriously, that is a gorgeous dress!", The voice said.

Chloe had a confused look on her face. "But, I don't have on a-", Then, she looked at her shoulder, and saw that the fabric of clothing she had on was very different from what she put on leaving her room.

She looked down, and saw that she was wearing a bright, white dress. What the voice, er, faceless man, said was true. It was a pretty dress. "But, where did I get it?", Chloe asked. She had never gotten a dress like that before. She had no recollection of even buying it.

"Does it really matter?" The voice asked. Thinking about it, Chloe came to the conclusion that, since nothing at the moment really made any sense, no, it didn't matter.

So, Chloe shook her head, as the faceless man stood there. "Good. Now, I want to ask you a question again… is this what you want?"

* * *

And, with that, Chloe woke up. Her eyes jolted, and she groaned. " _Dammit. Did I fall asleep on the couch, again?"_ , She thought to herself.

Chloe slowly sat up, feeling groggier than before. She then pulled out her phone, wishing to check the time. When she pressed the 'on' button on her phone, and what she found didn't surprise her.

* * *

What she found was multiple messages. Most of them were from Aubrey, some of them saying 'Where r u?', others saying 'Did u fall asleep on the couch, again?'

Chloe chuckled, as she scrolled through the messages. Most of the others were ones in the group chat. Some of them were pretty funny. For example:

"Has anyone ever heard of the dead-rat in a toilet gag?"-Beca.

"If I ever hear someone say 'I respect Bumper Allen', I will fight them on the side of the street."-Amy.

"Does anyone know any good stores to buy lingerie?"-Stacie.

Chloe laughed at almost all of them. Then, she came across one that made her heart jump when she first saw it. It was from Tom.

Without thinking twice, she read over it. It said, "Chloe… I've thought a lot about what you said. It's been running through my mind ever since we talked about it, and… I think I've finally come to an answer. And it's 'yes'. I realized that we should get to know more about each other, try and have a relationship outside of just sex. Let's give it a go."

Chloe's heart was beating quicker than it ever had during that day. She wanted so desperately to be in this relationship, to make it work. She knew they could make it work. And if he was finally open to it, then she knew she was ready.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Beca asked LP, who sat on a chair, headphones on his ears, and a mic close to his face, with Benji and Jesse doing the same. "Ready, steady, go." He said confidently.

Jesse nodded his head in ascent. "Ready when you are." He said, looking at Beca with a smile, and even throwing in a thumbs-up for extra measure.

"Okay. Here we go." Beca said, hitting the 'record' button on the radio room's equipment.

LP: Hello, dear friends! Well, here my friends and I are on record at last! And it feels so wonderful to be here with you on our first venture!

JESSE: We have a little song we'd love to sing for you!

BENJI: In 3, 2, 1, go!

LP: You've broken my heart once again.

JESSE: Sometimes, I wonder, every now and then…

BENJI: Do you really love me? And if so, when?

ALL THREE: I thought I could look to you as my closest friend!

LP: But then you went, and you left me!

JESSE: I thought that we were free to be!

BENJI: But now I see that it would never have worked!

JESSE: And now, I can see that my relationship goals need to be reworked!

LP: But, at the end of every day…

BENJI: I look out the window, and want to say…

JESSE: That I still love you!

LP: You gave my life a new meaning!

BENJI: You gave my heart a new beat…

JESSE: And my eyes a new way of seeing!

LP: Now, I know that I should remember-

JESSE: All the fights that we had.

LP: But I also feel that the times we weren't angry…

BENJI: Those times weren't half bad!

JESSE: And that gives me even more reason to say-

LP: That I still love you!

BENJI: You gave my life a little something more!

JESSE: I still love you!

LP: You made me feel things I'd never felt before!

JESSE: And now that you've left me…

LP: You make me realize how much I need you.

BENJI: Now that you've left me-

JESSE: I hope you need me as much as I hope you do!

LP: You know it's true…

ALL THREE: Because I still love you!

LP: You make me feel like I can do anything!

JESSE: Yeah, I still love you!

BENJI: You make me want to sing-

ALL THREE, ONE MORE TIME: I STILL LOVE YOU!

Then, Beca pressed stop on the recording. "And… we're clear."

LP clapped his hands, and removed his headphones. As he did so, both Jesse and Benji removed their headphones, cheering. "That was awesome!" Jesse said, smiling.

"Spectacular!" Benji added in. "Groovy." LP remarked. "Awesometacular." Beca finished. "What say we get a celebratory dinner at Frank's? On me!" Jesse suggested.

LP nodded his head. "Sounds good to me!" He said, as Beca and Benji nodded in agreement.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, and the four were at the diner, with Beca sitting next to LP, and Jesse next to Benji. In front of them, there were four plates. On LP's, there was a grilled cheese sandwich split in half, and a bowl of tomato soup sitting next to it, with a still-clean spoon standing beside the bowl.

On Beca's, a legume salad with peaches and beans on it. At first, the boys questioned her taste. But, once they saw her eating the stuff, they didn't bother her about it any longer.

On Jesse's plate, he had a cheeseburger and fries, with a small amount of ketchup squeezed from the bottle sitting next to the window.

And on Benji's, a few pancakes. No syrup, no whipped cream, just pancakes. He hadn't really eaten that day, since he didn't feel hungry in the morning.

In all of their hands was a cup of coffee. "A toast to the song 'I Still Love You', by Rebecca Anne Mitchell, Jesse William Swanson, Benjamin James Applebaum, and…" LP began, only to stop before saying his own name.

The others stared at him, for a moment or two. "You know that it's okay to tell us your name, right?" Jesse asked. Then, Beca put her hand on his. As LP looked at her, she said, "LP… it's okay. You can trust us."

LP sighed, before looking at his friends for nearly thirty seconds, and finally giving in. "And Lee Patrick McDaniel." He finished. "Hear, hear!" Benji cheered, as they collided their cups, and sipped their coffee.

After sipping his coffee, LP set down his cup, and put his hands to his mouth. He breathed in, and breathed out. The others couldn't not notice this.

So, Jesse asked, "What's wrong, bud? You okay?" LP nodded his head, as the others looked at him. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. It's just… I haven't told anyone my real name in years."

"Why?" Beca asked, as LP made a noise that indicated his unsureness. "I… I just never really liked it. I always felt uncomfortable whenever people called me 'Lee'. I took a look in the mirror so many times, and never could understand why my parents named me 'Lee'. So, when I started high school, I insisted on being called 'LP'. I didn't really care if others knew my name, but, eventually, 'LP' just stuck. And I wanted to go into college just being 'LP'. Not Lee, or Lee Patrick."

LP, or Lee, didn't know if they'd understand, or even care. Why would they? He knew he was being strange, and it was all just because of his name.

Then, much to his surprise, Beca said, "I get it." As if on cue, LP looked up at the brunette, who looked at him with understanding in her eyes.

"I think we all do. Y'know, not wanting to have the name you were born with? I mean, why do you think I call myself 'Beca'?" She explained, as Jesse, Benji, and even LP himself smiled.

"Yeah. We get it, man. And, if it's all the same to you, I'll stick to LP." Jesse said, as Benji nodded. "Same here, LP!" He added in, making LP chuckle. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's eat!" LP exclaimed, his spirits lifted once more.

* * *

A few hours after dinner, LP sat in his room. Everyone had decided to come back. And everyone had decided to do something of their own. Beca was making the beat for the song, Jesse was watching 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' for the tenth time since they got to Barden, and Benji was attempting another magic trick.

But for once, LP wasn't really doing something. Or anything, for that matter. He wasn't writing, or mixing music. He wasn't even wearing his beanie. He was listening to something. But not his music.

He was listening to a copy of one of Beca's mixes. A cross between David Guetta's 'Titanium', and the Proclaimers' '500 Miles.' " _Wow, she has great taste."_

 _When I wake up, well I know I'm gonna be-_

 _I am Titanium…_

 _I'm gonna be-_

 _Titanium…_

 _Well, I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more,_

 _Just to be-_

 _Titanium…_

Then, Benji heard a knock at the door. "Uh, guys?" He said. But before him, Beca, or LP could react, Jesse ran to the door. "I'll get it!" He yelled, as he made his way over.

Then, when he opened the door, he saw Chloe standing outside, holding a few articles of clothing in her hands. To Jesse, Chloe looked perfectly happy. In fact, she was the happiest he had ever seen her, with a big smile on her face.

"Uh… hey, Chloe. Something you need?" He asked. "Yeah, is LP in here?" She responded to his question. Jesse nodded his head, and Chloe sighed happily. "Wonderful! I need to give this to him." She said, holding up the clothing.

"Oh. Okay. Here, I'll let you in. He's just sitting on his bed." Jesse replied, as he got out of the doorway, allowing Chloe to come in.

When she did, she saw LP doing exactly what Jesse said he'd be doing. Chloe walked over, the grin on her face growing bigger. Then, she set the clothes down on his bed, and tapped on his shoulders.

Finally, LP looked up, and saw his friend standing over him. He waved to her, and removed the headphones. "Hi." He said. "Hey. Um, I brought you something." She responded, pointing to the clothes on his side.

"Oh! Thank you." He said, as he grabbed the clothes to get a better look at them. He saw that she had brought him a black suit-coat and pair of pants, a white button-up, and a blue tie. "Wow. This looks really nice, actually. Better than the outfit I wore at our first performance, that's for sure!"

Chloe smiled. "Thanks, LP. Aubrey and I bought it in the hopes that you'd wear it and like it." She explained, as a smile formed on LP's own face. "It's awesome. Thank you, Chloe. And tell Aubrey 'thank you' too, please?" LP requested, as Chloe nodded her head.

Then, the redhead took a seat on his bed, looking at his computer, and seeing a file marked 'Mix #170'. "Is this one of yours?" She asked, as LP looked at her, and shook his head. "No, it's Beca's. Here, do you want to listen?" He asked.

"You should! They're really good." Jesse said, returning to his movie. "I concur!" Benji added his voice to the mix, despite not really paying attention.

Chloe looked to Beca, hoping for her approval. "Becs, is it okay with you if I listen to your mixes?" She asked, her eyes on the brunette. Beca nodded her head, and said, "Go ahead."

So, LP handed her the headphones, and put them on her head. She listened intently, hearing every beat, every lyric, every time the two songs were blended together. And, in Chloe's opinion, Beca did it all masterfully.

LP and Beca watched as Chloe listened. They were curious as to what she had to say, but also nervous. Then again, it was Chloe they were asking to give her thoughts on Beca's work…

Finally, she took off the headphones, and set them on the space between her and LP. "What did you think?" Beca asked, slightly nervous. "I loved it! It was great!" Chloe praised, relaxing Beca and LP.

"Phew. Glad to know you love it, Chlo!" Beca said, rubbing her eyes. "Yeah! Hey, Becs? Can I ask you a question?" Chloe asked. "Shoot." Beca replied.

"Is this what you want to do?" Chloe asked, making Beca sit still for a moment, and deeply think about her friend's question.

On the one hand, of course she wanted to do it after college, no matter how long she would be there. She had loved the prospect of deejaying, and wanted to do it for quite some time, ever since… her parents' divorce.

That was the whole reason she was there now, wasn't it? The whole reason she joined the Bellas. The reason she was in a room with four people who, in any other situation, she could never imagine herself hanging out with.

At the same time… what if she found a new passion? A new dream to pursue? A new idea popped into her head? What if she lost her passion for deejaying and mixing music? What if she came to realize that what she thought she wanted was something else, all along?

But, no.

This was what she wanted to do. It was the reason she was trying to make it through the year at Barden. The reason she was in the same room as LP, Jesse, and Benji. And it was the reason she'd keep going, in spite of her Father's wishes.

"Yeah. This is what I want to do." Beca said, loudly and truthfully. Chloe smiled, and looked to LP. "What about you, LP? What do you want to do after college?"

Truthfully, LP wasn't sure. In fact, he had never been more unsure of anything in his life. He had all these things he loved doing, but didn't know if he could see them as a true profession for him. Something that would keep him busy, focused, a means of making a living.

So, what did he say? "I don't know."

 _Author's Note: Finally. After ten chapters, I finally got to tell you LP's name. ZRyder, you guessed correctly! Great work, you get a gold star! BTW, this was one of the toughest chapters to write, mainly because of the Chloe scenes, in which I drew a lot of inspiration from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, one of my favorite movies, highly recommended! Anywho, thank you all for reading, please leave a review, and, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, and I'm going to bed!_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: _Like It or Not_

"Lee? Lee! Wake up."

LP bolted upright. He was breathing heavily. His eyes were trying their best to wake up with the rest of his body.

As LP's breathing calmed down, and his heartbeat returned to its natural speed, he realized something: he was no longer in his room at Barden University.

No, he was in his home. In his room. But it wasn't as if his room was the same as he had left it when he left home. It was… it was back to normal.

The dresser, the posters, the video games, the collection of DVDs, the closet full of clothes. It was all there. All where it was before he cleaned it out, and left to go out into the world.

As LP looked in astonishment, he heard a knock at the door. "Lee? Did you hear me? Don't make me come in there!" A female voice said.

LP was dreaming. He had to be dreaming. What would he be doing back home? Where were his Father and June? And what was the person that that voice belonged to doing there?

The boy scrambled off his bed, and got out from under the covers. As he did, he realized something: he was naked. Completely naked.

Now, he understood why he was scrambling out of bed. He hated when his Mother walked in on him when he slept naked, which she, in turn, hated.

It wasn't that he was trying to be defiant or irritate her. Nothing like that. It was simply that LP felt more comfortable sleeping that way, in general. It felt more natural to him.

He quickly got on his underwear, then his jeans, a white tank top, and a green and black sweatshirt. Then, for the finishing piece, he grabbed his beanie, which he already knew was on top of the dresser, and slipped it onto his uncombed black hair.

He opened the door to his room, and saw his Mother, standing before him, tapping her feet. "M-Mom?" LP stuttered, surprised to see her. "Good morning to you, too. Glad to see how quickly you got dressed after I threatened you, this time. Go brush your teeth, get ready for the day." Margaret McDaniel said, a smile forming on her face.

But LP just stood there, astonished. He knew where he was, and he knew what day it was: May 25th, 2012. The day he graduated. Or, would graduate. That night.

"Mom? You're… you're here. You're home…" He said, a tear sliding down his face. "Well, of course I'm here, hon. Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, oblivious to her son's emotional status.

Without warning, and without prompting, LP hugged Margaret. The tears stained his eyes, as he happily sighed, closing his eyes. "Mom… I had a dream. That you… that something awful happened. And… you and Dad got divorced… and it was just me and June. And then, I had to leave. Leave for college, leave June alone with Dad…"

* * *

Then, when he opened his eyes, he found himself hugging nothing. His Mother had disappeared. And he was no longer home.

LP fell to the ground, his knees hitting the hard pavement first. He looked around him, and found that he was in the Barden University pool. Still clothed, and alone in the water…

" _Wait, what?"_

He was surrounded by slowly rising water. Ever since childhood, LP had a crippling fear of the water. Anything in large quantities… it horrified him.

He started running toward the edge of the pool on the shallow side, but, for some reason, it was so far away. Much further than it was in… where was he now, anyways?

So, as the water slowly rose, LP ran to the edge. Fear gripped him, like a bear trap on some poor bastard. It was so far, and he ran so fast. And as he ran, the water slowly inched up his ankles, and past his abdomen, and eventually made its way to his shoulders.

Finally, LP made it to the edge. At that point, he was practically swimming. Once he was there, he grabbed hold of it, and breathed heavily. He was panting, gasping for breath. But, he made it to the shallow side.

"Hey, genius! Why'd you come in without your trunks on?" A familiar voice called out, as LP gasped, and turned around. There, he saw Chloe, Beca, Aubrey, and all of the other Bellas, all in the pool, all wearing swimsuits.

"What the fuck…?" LP questioned, as he looked down, and took a moment to realize that he was still wearing his jeans, sweatshirt, and beanie.

"What the Hell are you doing in your clothes, dude?", Beca questioned. "Yeah, show us some skin, hot-stuff!", Amy yelled, prompting looks from everyone around her, who stared awkwardly, some with their mouths hanging wide open.

"What? I thought we all wanted to see him, shirtless.", Amy admitted. It was at this point that Chloe shook her head, and swam over to the dark-haired teen. "You didn't have to come into the pool with your clothes on. We sure as Hell didn't."

LP blushed a little, and said, "Well, it's not like I had a choice in the matter." Chloe smiled, making the only boy in the pool bite his lip, and blush even harder.

"Aw, look! Mr. Bella is in love!" Stacie teased, prompting a slap on the shoulder from Beca. "Seriously, Conrad?" The pale brunette asked, shaking her head. "I'm just saying! Why else would he be blushing?" Stacie questioned, to which the others looked at the boy.

"I… I don't want to answer that question. I don't need to answer that question. You know why, Stace? Because this is just a dream! And, if this is only a dream, and I know it's a dream… then I don't need to tell you squat! To any of you! That, and, if I really am dreaming, then I can finally go underwater, and not be afraid of anything under me!" He exclaimed, plugging his nose and swimming underneath. And oh, how very wrong Lee Patrick McDaniel was in that moment.

What he found beneath the water of the pool was not what he saw when his head was above it. Whereas the water beneath him looked clean, showered by the sun, and illuminated as if it were the summertime, what he saw beneath was an entirely different story.

All that Lee could see, and even feel, was the cold, dark, emptiness. It made him shiver like a chill on a winter's eve. His surroundings… they were almost non-existent. They WERE non-existent. All that he could make out was pitch black nothingness. And it was drowning him.

It was more terrifying than he had imagined it being. Ever since he was a child, he had a fear of water. Not showers or baths, but oceans, lakes, even swimming pools. Not even in a dream could Lee escape his fear.

He gasped, trying desperately to not let it sink him, and hurriedly swam towards air. But whatever was grabbing him tugged at him like a hand grabbing a leg from under the bed.

Eventually, Lee could no longer swim. His breath had been wasted, and his will to escape replaced with exhaustion. In that moment, he let his eyes shut, as he slowly fell, for what seemed like an eternity, to the bottom of the pool.

His arms stretched out, and layed on the ground, as he slumped down. He looked to the very air he tried so hard to escape to just moments ago, and slowly closed his eyes, all the while hearing… voices.

"Get out of my life, LP."

"What are you looking at, fuckface?"

"Hey, McDaniel! How's your deadbeat daddy? Still fucking your sister and beating the shit out of you?"

"Come on, asshole! Can't take it when you dish it out?!"

"Get off the fucking floor, Lee."

All of these voices. These cruel, harsh things that people throughout his life had told him… they would have been the last thing that he heard, if not for the one final voice. A warm, soothing voice. Wise, time-weary. It called to him. He could faintly hear it as the darkness surrounded him, but, it said: "Lee... everything will be okay."

* * *

LP woke with a jolt. He was sweating. His black hair was uncombed, and covered up his eyes. His breathing was heavy, resulting in quite a bit of panting from him.

" _It was just a dream… a stupid dream. There's no water, nothing. You don't need to think about it, anymore."_ He sighed, and looked in his room. The only one there was him.

"Jesse and Benji aren't here… what the Hell?", He asked himself, before yawning, and checking his phone. When the screen popped up, LP found that there were five missed text messages. All in the group chat.

Aubrey: Get into gear, aca-bitches and aca-asshole. We're on, today.

Amy: Finally! I've been looking for a chance to prove my sexy ass has what it takes to be an aca-badass.

Stacie: And how do you plan on doing that?

Amy: By upstaging you flat-butts, Conrad.

LP laughed out loud, and added his own tweet in.

LP: Have you been actually paying attention to our asses? Especially mine? If so, that's kinda weird.

Amy: You know it, hot stuff. Booty matters, folks!

* * *

Five minutes later, LP walked into the boys locker room, his clothes in one hand, his towel in the other. He wore a pair of sweatpants, and a grey t-shirt.

" _Might as well shower. Today is the day we perform, after all."_ , LP thought to himself, as he found a shower, and set his clothes down next to it, hanging his towel up as he did so.

Thirty seconds later, LP was in the shower. The hot water washed over his body as he put soap in his hair. He rubbed it on his face, and continued onto his upper body.

He thought about the dream. He didn't want to, but, no matter what, LP found himself coming back to everything. The water, the pool, the nothingness… the insults, his Mother…

He sighed, no longer wanting to think about it. "Just keep pushing it away. You've been doing it for a while, now. Just keep doing it." LP said to himself.

As soon as he finished his shower, LP turned off the water, and grabbed his towel from off of the hook. He wrapped it around his body, and walked out into the open. He sighed, pushing his wet hair from out of his face.

LP made sure that no one was around, and dropped his towel, quickly grabbing his underwear. He slipped them on, and then, just as quickly, he grabbed his jeans, and slipped those on, too.

As he did, LP failed to realize the towel-wearing, nearly nude Chloe Beale, beaming like a diamond, standing right behind him. "Howdy, stranger." She said, taking LP off-guard. "JESUS TAP-DANCING CHRIST! What the Hell?!" He exclaimed, quickly turning around.

"Chloe? What are you doing in here?" LP questioned, to which Chloe got a somewhat nervous look on her face. "Uh… well… I, uh…", She stuttered, as a tall guy with brown hair walked into view, and, much to LP's shock and horror, he was completely… naked.

"Hey, Chlo. Can you-whoa! Who the Hell is this?", The guy asked. "Uh… well…", LP started, as he grabbed his shirt, and put it on. "It's okay, Tom! He's in the Bellas. LP McDaniel, meet Tom Matthews." Chloe introduced the two, as LP slipped into a blue and yellow hoodie, and put his trademark beanie on his head.

Then, he awkwardly went over to shake the naked man's hand, narrowly trying to avoid the elephant in the room. "Pleasure.", LP stated, as Tom awkwardly accepted the gesture.

"Uh… are you a friend of Chloe's?", Tom asked. "Yeah. I am. I've heard a little about you. So… you and Chloe are together, I take it?", LP asked.

Chloe nodded her head enthusiastically. "Mmm hmm! And after the performance, Tom's taking me out to dinner! Yay!", Chloe exclaimed, hugging Tom.

LP couldn't help but be awed by the sheer strangeness of this morning. First, he wakes up from a surreal dream, then, his trip to the shower room turns into him meeting his friend's 'boyfriend'. " _Well, this is weird."_ He thought to himself.

"That's great, Chlo! I… uh… hope you have fun. I'll see ya at practice in a little bit, okay?" LP asked, to which Chloe nodded her head. "Yep! See ya later, alligator!"

Then, LP smiled awkwardly, and walked off, but not before turning around, and looking directly at Tom. "Nice to meet you, sir. Enjoy your, uh… nakedness." And, with that, he left, leaving Chloe giggling like a madwoman, and her tall lover confused as to what had just happened.

* * *

After drying off in his room, and slipping on his beanie, LP quickly walked to practice. Aubrey wanted them there that day, just for a little extra practice before their first official entry into the competition.

As he walked in, LP found that most of the girls, save for Chloe and Beca, were there. When he walked in, they all started giggling, some of them snickering, mainly Stacie and Amy.

"What's so funny?" He questioned. To his surprise, the girls just laughed harder and harder. "What the Hell is so funny?! Whatever you've got to say, spit it out!" He pressed on, getting agitated.

"Oh, it's nothing. We're just wondering… how was it dealing with Chloe's boyfriend's 'nakedness'?" Ashley asked, prompting her and the others to burst out laughing. LP's eyes widened, and his cheeks turned red with embarrassment.

"What are you… wait… oh, fuck. Dammit, Chloe!" He yelled, genuinely furious at the redhead. As they all started laughing harder, the poor guy could do nothing but pace the room, his hands covering his eyes as he did so.

"OH, MY GOD…" He screeched, as Stacie wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh, get over yourself, Tall, Dark, and Geeky. We're just messing with you." She insisted, laughing as she did so.

LP sighed, and sat next to the others, crossing his arms as he did so. He was still blushing. "It was just… awkward. Seeing Chloe nearly naked, and her boyfriend going au natural was even more weird! Seriously, I cannot get his dick out of my mind, now!"

At that point, all of the girls, even Aubrey, who was mostly tapping her feet, waiting for the arrival of Beca and Chloe, passed out on the floor, laughing harder than they had in ages. In Aubrey's case, she hadn't laughed as hard as she did in years.

LP blushed even more, and, to the surprise of the Bellas, took off his hat, and buried his face in it. "This is the most humiliating thing that has happened to me at this campus. Kill me, now…" He begged, prompting some looks of concern.

"Jesus, Mr. Bella. We were just joking." CR stated. "Yeah. Besides, you saw another guy's dick. It's not that big a deal! Stacie does it all the time!" Amy interrupted, earning her two middle fingers raised in the air from Stacie.

"Come on, guys. He feels sensitive about it. Let's quit while we're ahead." Jessica said, to which LP took his head from out of his hat. "Thank you!" He exclaimed, before putting his hat back on his head.

LP pressed his hand to his chin, tapping as he did so. "Not to be rude or anything, but… why are you sensitive about it?" Stacie asked. LP sighed, and said, "It's not that he was naked. I've seen guys naked before, and, while yeah, it makes me feel a little uncomfortable, that's not what it was."

As the other girls raised their eyes, LP continued. "It's the fact that Chloe was pretty much naked, and in the guy's locker room, of all places. It just felt… unnatural." He explained.

The others nodded their heads. "I just feel awkward seeing someone who I consider a friend naked. Or, almost naked." LP admitted, slumping in his chair.

At that moment, Beca and Chloe walked in, laughing as they did so. Then, when they saw the miserable-looking, clearly embarrassed LP, they stopped. "Whoa… what turned Mr. Bouncing to the Beat into a sad-sack?" Beca asked.

Before LP could try to, well, lie and avoid talking about it any longer, Amy spoke for him. "LP feels miserable that you texted all of us in the group chat, and basically revealed that he saw you and your boyfriend naked, bringing his confidence to a low."

LP closed his eyes, hung his head low, and, using his pointer and middle fingers, pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, God. I'm sorry, LP! I just thought it was funny! Y'know?" Chloe said, attempting to reason with the raven-haired boy.

"It's fine. It's just a little awkward, that's all." LP bluntly remarked, taking his fingers off of his nose, and looking at the bubbly redhead, who grimaced at him. "I… I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry." She apologized.

LP sighed. "It's… it's okay. And, to be fair, it was kind of funny. Just one question: what were you doing in the boy's showers?" He asked, as the other Bellas looked at Chloe.

"Uh… well…", Chloe stuttered, as LP shook his head. "Save it. We understand. And we get it. You don't have to explain anything." He said, smiling at her.

Chloe smiled back. "Okay, then."

"And now that we've solved that little issue, can we get to practicing, please?" Aubrey butted in. LP rolled his eyes, and said, "Right. Let's get moving."

* * *

The plan was set. They'd be doing the same songs that they had taken a whack at the first time around. And, just like last time, LP and Beca both thought that there was no chance in Hell that they would win.

Even for as much as Aubrey had them practicing, and even though they could both admit that they had improved, they still worried that it would not be enough.

Nevertheless, neither one of them questioned it, knowing that Aubrey would have an incredibly adverse reaction. So, they did what Ernest Hemingway urged sober folks to do: keep their mouths shut.

After going over who would be doing what, and what they'd be singing, Aubrey concluded with, "So, everybody catch that?" The Bellas nodded their heads, to which Aubrey smiled. "Great! Okay, hands in the middle, Bellas!"

Then, Aubrey and Chloe put their hands out into the air. But nobody else put their hands in. Instead, they just stared awkwardly at the sight before them.

Aubrey rolled her eyes, and exclaimed, "Hands in, Aca-bitches and and Aca-asshole!" Almost automatically, they all put their hands in the middle. "Doesn't everyone have an asshole, though?" CR asked. "Oh, for crying out loud! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Aubrey yelled, sticking her tongue out on that last 'shut up'. It wasn't intentional.

"Okay, here we go. On the count of three, harmonize! One, two…" And then, they all fucked it up. None of them could 'harmonize', especially LP, with his deep voice.

"Oh, fuck me. Okay, get dressed, and get ready to kick ass! Don't waste my motherfucking time!" Aubrey dismissed. Then, they all hurriedly left the building, LP putting in his earbuds as he did so.

But just as he was walking out the doors, a certain redhead tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, and saw her smile. "Hey…" She said. "Uh… hi." He replied. "Can I… walk with you, for a little bit?"

LP nodded his head, smiling back at her. "Go ahead." Then, he took his earbuds out, as she and him started walking away from the building. But as they did, Aubrey couldn't help but look out the doorway, and watch as her best friend walked away with this… new guy.

" _Do they… no… it couldn't be. Well… it's not out of the question. Are they actually starting to… like each other?"_ She questioned. "Don't get any ideas." Beca said monotonously, as if she could red the blonde's thoughts, startling Aubrey.

Then, the pale-skinned brunette put her own headphones on her ears, and walked away. "Well, unfortunately for you, Beca… I am my own person. And I'm questioning this relationship, whether you, LP, or Chloe like it or not."

 _Author's Note: I'ma back! Sorry for the wait, I was_ _putting this aside for Thunderbird and Thunderbird: Guardian Angel, which I encourage you to read if you haven't! This was a weird chapter, wasn't it? I mean, we got a little peek into LP's head with a weird-ass dream, and hey, him and Tom finally meet! I'm excited for what I have planned with that angle. The next few chapters will focus on the interactions between the Bellas, as we see them bonding over, as Rick Grimes has said time and time again, stuff and thangs. To the Guest, thanks for complimenting my story! I'm glad you like it, and I hope you'll stick around for what is to come. Anywho, thank you all_ _for reading! Please leave a review, detailing your thoughts on the chapter and or ways in which I can improve my writing to craft a better story for you lovely folks. And, as always, do take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, wishing you all a wonderful Martin Luther King Day!_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve: _My 'Weirdo' Friends_

BECA'S POV

Random thoughts for the day: I'm sitting on a bus driven by Fat Amy. My headphones are plugged into my phone while I'm listening to Joan Jett's 'Bad Reputation'. The time is currently 7:30 P.M. We just got done with a performance. And we literally had to run as quickly as we could before we got arrested.

Why we could have been arrested by police will be explored later. But, for now, I just want to take a moment to relax, breathe, and say just how fucking grateful I am that we got out of there.

I'm still dressed in this dumb flight attendant outfit that Aubrey wanted all of us to wear, and that Chloe somehow convinced me to wear. And LP is dressed in a black suit coat and pants, and underneath the suit coat is a white button-up. And he's not wearing his trademark black beanie, for once.

He actually looks pretty nice in the suit, not gonna lie. But, that's not what we're focused on, is it? What we should be focusing on is the fact that we were almost put under arrest.

How did we get here, you might ask? Well, why don't we start at the beginning? It all started just a few hours ago, after I told Aubrey not to get any ideas about Chloe and LP.

* * *

3RD PERSON POV

* * *

"So… I'm sorry about earlier." Chloe said, as she deliberately avoided eye contact with LP, who took notice. Once more, LP went red in the face, and shrugged his shoulders, desperately trying to avoid showing his embarrassment to the older girl.

"It's… ah, it's alright. I just feel a bit uncomfortable being around people when they're naked. Trying to have a conversation with them is even harder, because you're trying not to stare, but at the same time, it's like avoiding the elephant in the room, y'know?" LP explained.

Chloe smiled. "Yeah. Hey, how about this? You're not the only person who's seen me naked in the Bellas, or who's seen my boyfriend naked." She admitted, prompting a wide-eyed look from LP.

"No shit?" He asked, as Chloe nodded her head. "Yep. Beca's seen me, too. Well, technically, I saw her first, but, still. Matter of fact, that's how I convinced her to audition!" She replied, as LP made a face that showed one thing: he was clearly stifling laughter.

"Are-are you serious?" He said, resisting the urge to burst out laughing. "Yep." She said, crossing her arms. "Oh, my God! Poor Beca." LP responded between giggles.

"What? You think she had it bad for seeing all this?" Chloe mockingly asked, uncrossing her arms, and moving them up and down her body, finally getting LP to burst out laughing. Not that she minded, because she laughed, too.

"Oh, man! Oh, that must have been an interesting chapter in your diary." LP said, wiping tears from his eyes. As she collected herself, Chloe came back with, "Yeah. Don't tell Beca I told you that, though. She'll probably kill me."

Wrapping his arm around the redhead's shoulder, LP whispered, with a wink of his eye, "I won't let her." Earning him a smile from Chloe, he cheekily grinned back.

"Aw, thanks! Glad to know that I have someone who will help protect me from our resident grouch." Chloe smirked. "Anytime, Lady Beale. Anytime."

Unwrapping his arm from Chloe, LP sighed. " _And I was worried that I wouldn't make friends here."_ He thought to himself. "So, are you ready to kick some Treble ass again, tonight?" Chloe asked, bringing the dazed LP back down to reality.

Almost instantly, he thought back to the night at the pool. In a way, he felt like almost thanking Bumper, and for one reason: at least they got to leave the pool, which made LP somewhat uncomfortable at the time. And hey, if that night never happened, then he, Jesse, Beca, and Benji would never be working together.

"I hope so. We've worked our asses off practicing for this, I hope we can at least do alright." LP said, in a somewhat brash, angry tone of voice. "We will. I know we will." Chloe reassured him, a smile on her face.

* * *

LP'S POV

* * *

I'm wearing the outfit Chloe and Aubrey picked out for me, and standing in the mirror. It really is a nice set of clothing… but it's not me. It's not my style. It's not the way I particularly like dressing.

With me, I've always liked to dress in looser clothing. It's why I always hated going to weddings. Every time I went to one, Mom and Dad would have me put on some monkey suit that looked awkward on me. This doesn't necessarily look bad, but it just doesn't really match me.

That, and I don't get to wear my hat, which sucks. Then again, I didn't really expect Aubrey to let me wear my hat in the first place.

Oh, well. I sigh, and feel my phone buzz against my knee. Damn vibrate. Feels weird every time. Then, I pull out my phone. It's Aubrey, and she's texting all of us in the group chat.

AUBREY: Meet in 15 minutes, Bellas. We need to accomplish three things, tonight. 1, kick ass. 2, prove to everyone that we aren't a joke. Be prepared, ladies and gent.

I began typing at the keyboard on my phone, and send in a message of my own.

LP: Well, thanks for not calling me Aca-Asshole.

BECA: Yeah. Where did you even come up with that name, Aubrey? Or did you just make it up on the fly?

AUBREY: Made it up on the fly. Ran with it because you generally call guys 'assholes'.

LP: Not sure if that's entirely true, but, I'll take it over being called 'Aca-Asshole'.

STACIE: It's really not true. One time, I called my aunt an asshole. To her face.

I started laughing. Stacie really said that to her aunt? I know I could never call anyone in my family an asshole. Not just out of respect, but out of fear that my Uncle Dennis would have me spend the winter in the storm shed.

Then, I put my phone away, and walk out of my room. I take a deep breath, hold it for about thirty seconds, and then, breathe out. "Time to show some random people that I don't give a crap about what the Bellas are made of."

* * *

I'm walking across the campus, directed towards where Aubrey told us to meet her and Chloe. And, yeah, I've got my headphones in. Figured I'd listen to something from a movie. I settled on the opening theme from 'A Beautiful Mind'.

The sound of a voice vocalizing overlapping with James Newton Howard's fantastic score slowly building as I walk to the side of the rehearsal center is just… ah, it's a good thing to listen to while walking.

Then, I turn my head around the corner, and find the girls, all wearing some kind of flight attendant outfit, coming with dorky sweaters to complete the ensemble, all of them standing next to a bus big enough to fit all of us.

"Howdy doo, ladies!", I greet them in my best Southern accent. Aubrey rolls her eyes, clearly irritated with me. "Alright. Remember, Bellas. No pressure. No pain, no gain. All we have to do is stick to tradition, and follow my lead."

Aubrey really is thinking this is gonna help us win, doesn't she? I know I promised to be nice about this, and not question her, but… it's kind of hard not to when she's, well, not being very realistic.

I shoot a look at the only other person in the group who I know shares this sentiment: Beca Mitchell. She notices, and nods her head knowingly. Oh, good. I'm not the only one who thinks this 'plan' is kinda bullshit.

"So, savvy?", Aubrey asks. Almost hesitantly, I nod my head. Same with Beca, and everybody else. Fortunately for us, Aubrey doesn't notice. "LET'S GET ROCKING!" She exclaims, which earns, much to my surprise, cheers from most of the Bellas.

Then, we're all hopping onto the bus. I get on last, and when I get in, I find that almost every seat is taken, except for a window seat next to Lily.

I sigh, and tap her on the shoulder. "Can I sit here?" I ask her. She nods her head, and I smile at her. Then, I move past her, and take a seat next to her.

Then, I put in my headphones again. I feel like listening to something techno to warm me up. I click on the 'iTunes' app on my phone, and scroll down for a while before I come across a song that I am quite familiar with: 'Ready Steady Go'. I tap on it, and it comes on.

I lie back against my seat, closing my eyes while I do so. Then, I take in the feeling of the song. It starts, and automatically, I'm in an LA nightclub, mixing music, all while neon lights flash people's eyes, and drinks are being served to everyone, including me.

Then, I'm pulled back into reality by Lily tapping my shoulders. I pull out my headphones. She mouths something to me. Something that I don't quite understand.

"Beg pardon?" I ask, dryly. Then, she leans in, and whispers in my ear, "What song are you listening to?" I raise my eyebrows a little bit at her question. Lily never really talks, bet you can't guess why, so I have reason to find it a little odd when she does make an attempt to talk.

"It's a song called 'Ready Steady Go', by Paul Oakenfold. It's from one of my favorite movies." I explain to her. She nods her head, showing me that she seems at least somewhat interested in what I'm saying. Then, Lily asks, in a small voice, "Can I listen to it?"

Immediately, I start nodding my head, and take the headphones out. I pass them to her, and she puts them in her own ear. As it goes on, Lily starts bobbing her head to the song. It seems like she likes it. She has good taste.

As she keeps on listening, I roll my head back, and close my eyes. Even without the music, I still want to keep on imagining. At least 'till we get to where we're performing.

* * *

CHLOE'S POV

* * *

We did okay with the material we had. At some points we were a little off-key, but, overall, we did a good enough job. We even got second place. Yeah, guess who beat us? I'll give you three guesses: the Trebles, Bumper Allen, and Bumper Allen's posse.

As we walked out from behind the stage, we saw Jesse and Benji, clapping as we walked in their direction. Must have come by to congratulate us.

"Great work, Bellas! You guys did great!" Benji praised us. "Thanks, Benj. Glad to know you liked our act!" LP proclaimed, taking a slight bow. I roll my eyes, but, at the same time, I get LP's gesture.

"That was awesome! And no, I'm not just saying that because Beca and LP are my friends." Jesse says, earning laughter from plenty of the Bellas.

"Wow. That was actually kind of… okay." Stacie says, breaking the 'feel-good' vibe we were trying to go for. "Wow. That's really what you're gonna say after we just showed people we have potential?" Jessica questions Stacie, a smirk on her face.

"Fuck off, Smith. We were just better in comparison to those other groups, and you know it." Stacie retorts. She has a point. With the competition we had, which consisted of a group of people with socks on their hands singing Lily Allen's 'Fuck You', I can admit that we didn't really have much to go against.

"Whatever. We still did okay, for our first debut." Jessica bounces back, rolling her eyes. "Not to burst anyone's bubble, but we didn't really have much to go against. We're gonna have to get better at this if we really wanna show people what we've got. And that means lots of practice." Aubrey interjects.

Not to my surprise, the Bellas groan. And I feel like groaning, too. At this point, I'm tired of practice. Can't we just get a week off? I don't even think Aubrey's taking into account my nodes. She's had us busting our asses, and it's really starting to get on my nerves.

"Don't give me that! If we want to kick ass, then we need to start busting our asses, don't we?" Aubrey hisses at all of us, while a few of us roll our eyes.

"I think we did just fine, but, if we're-", LP starts, only for Aubrey to interrupt him. "Nobody asked you." She bluntly, and pretty rudely, says. What the Hell is her problem? I mean, calling him Aca-Asshole was one thing, but this sounds hostile.

"What the fuck is your problem? Let him speak." Beca interjects. "You know damn well what my problem is, Mitchell. You saw it, too." Aubrey says. What the Hell is she talking about? What did she see that was bad enough to turn her against LP?

"Oh, my Jesus. That's what you're going off about? Grow the Hell up." Beca says while she grits her teeth. "Guys, stop. You shouldn't be fighting over me. And Aubrey, what the Hell are you talking about? You saw me doing what?" LP asks, clearly concerned.

"You have a-", Aubrey starts, but she stops herself when she sees something else that catches her attention. "What the fuck?" She asks out loud. "What?" I ask, before she points to something behind me.

We all see what she's pointing at: Bumper fucking Allen, causing trouble with some older gentleman. Wait… oh, shit. Those are the Tone Hangers.

(Note: The Tone Hangers are essentially a bunch of middle-aged guys who graduated years ago, and can't move on from the fact that they're way past their prime.)

I can hear a bit of what Bumper is telling them. "Why don't you do what old men do, and retire, already? Get the fuck out of my way." He coldly tells one of them, a middle-aged guy with black hair.

Then, to my surprise, and the surprise of Bumper, the guy asks, "Oh, you wanna go?" And just like that, Bumper is back to being the snivelling little weasel that he is. Putting up a big game, but being a major league coward when push comes to shove.

"Whoa, take it easy, man! I'm just telling you to get out of my way. I don't want to fight." Bumper says, trying to not get beat up. He's still got a black eye from LP. Good.

"Well, poor you, because I'm about to kick your-", The older guy starts, just before Jesse bounces over. "Whoa! Take it easy there, fella." He interrupts. Oh, come on, Jesse. Don't try and play peacemaker. Not now.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Bumper asks when his eyes are set on Jesse. "Making sure a fight doesn't break out, no matter how much you deserve to get beat up." Jesse comes back. Oh, boy…

* * *

3RD PERSON POV

* * *

"You want some, too? Huh? Is that it?" The older man questioned Jesse, who slowly backed away. "What?! No! That's not it at all! I want nothing more than to-", He started, before being interrupted by a punch in the face.

Jesse fell to the ground, groaning as he tried to get up. As he did, Bumper laughed. "How's it feel, ass-", Bumper mockingly began, but just as he did, the older man knocked him to the ground as well.

" _Oh, fuck."_ LP thought to himself, while he, the Bellas, and the Trebles all looked in astonishment at the sight before them. "You want some more? Huh?" The older man asked.

As Jesse slowly got up, he saw the guy standing, ready to throw another punch. And, sure as the second he got up, he did. Only this time, his arm was grabbed by Beca, who promptly punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Jesus, Beca!" Jesse yelled. "What was I supposed to do? Just stand by while you get punched in the face?" She questioned, before looking back at the man she just punched in the face. To her annoyance, he was groaning, but begging to be punched again.

"Oh, yeah! Thank you! Do it again! That was too quick!" He exclaimed, in an aroused voice. " _Um… ew."_ Beca thought to herself. "Come on. Hit me! HIT ME!" The guy yelled, begging to be hit.

"Fuck this." LP said through gritted teeth, before running over to Beca. As he did, Aubrey and Chloe looked in both amusement and shock. " _Wow… he actually does care about her."_ Chloe thought to herself. Aubrey, on the other hand… " _It's his funeral."_

"LP, what the Hell are you doing here?" Beca questioned LP when he came over. "I'm making sure that this stops before it gets any worse. I mean, look around you, Becs. People are staring, Jesse has a bloody nose, and this guy is begging to get beat up!" He protested, as the man got on bended knee.

"Yes! Beat me up! In fact, why don't you beat me up, huh?" He asked, as annoyed LP yelled, "COME ON!"

Then, to everybody's surprise, Amy went over, grabbed the trophy that the Trebles won from Bumper's left side, he was still on the ground, and went over to the older guy. "This guy wants a show? Let's give him one! At least I can!"

At that moment, LP could think one word in his head, over and over again: " _FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK."_ In Beca's mind: " _FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK."_

Amy hustled over, took the trophy, and prepared to do… something, with it. "Amy, stop! We don't need to do this!" Beca protested, grabbing the trophy. LP followed suit, trying not to let Amy do anything she, or he, would regret.

"Come on, Beca! I want to shove it up his butt!" Amy yelled, to the older man's groaning joy. "OOH! Cherry on top!" He yelled, as he stuck his ass in the air. "Amy, stop it!" LP yelled, his grip on the trophy tightening. But Amy still wouldn't budge.

Then, the trophy broke into multiple pieces, and flew out of all their hands. Where did it land? Through the entrance doors, of course! Yeah, it broke those glass doors, and set off an alarm.

As LP and Beca slowly realized what just happened, Amy looked at the other Bellas, and yelled, "RUN!" And wham, everybody ran. The Bellas, the Trebles, Bumper, the Tone Hangers, everybody.

"Fuck, fuck!" Beca yelled. "Come on! We gotta go!" LP said, grabbing her hand. She looked at him, and saw determination in his eyes, as well as an obvious concern. She nodded her head, and allowed him to take her hand.

"Hey! What are you kids doing?!" A gruff voice yelled. LP's heart took multiple leaps, and then some. He looked at Beca, and said one word: "RUN."

And they did. They ran down the hall that the Bellas ran down. The entire time, they didn't look back, they just kept focused on getting the Hell out of there. Both LP and Beca could hear whoever it was that called out to them blowing a whistle at them, yelling at them to stop.

"Come on! Don't look back! Just keep running!" Beca panted. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK I'M DOING?!" LP uncharacteristically growled, taking the brunette off guard for a moment or two.

Finally, they made it out the door they came in, and found the bus, and the Bellas, including Jesse and Benji, waiting for them. "What the Hell are you waiting for?! Christmas?! GET YOUR BUTTS ONTO THE BUS, NOW!" Aubrey yelled.

"Don't need to ask me twice!" Beca sarcastically remarked, as she and LP jumped onto the bus. Then, Amy closed the door, and started driving.

Unfortunately, this knocked both LP and Beca to the ground. As the bus drove quickly away, LP groaned, and slowly got up. Then, he offered a hand to Beca, who was also groaning.

She accepted the gesture, and got up. Then, both looked at Amy, or rather, glared at Amy. "So… that was fun, huh?" She asked, earning glares from everyone on the bus.

Amy looked back, and saw that everyone was glaring at her. "What?" She questioned them, completely oblivious to what just happened.

"WHAT? WHAT?! Beca and LP almost got arrested just because you wanted to shove a fucking trophy up a guy's ass!" Stacie exclaimed.

"Hey! He was asking for it! Besides, this can't be pinned entirely on me! If Bumper didn't go over, pretty much asking to get his ass kicked, and Jesse didn't go to 'help', and if Beca and LP didn't make the problem worse, then maybe none of this would have happened!" Amy said, trying to explain and defend herself.

Aubrey groaned. "Amy, while I admit that it wasn't entirely your fault, and that nobody, including Jesse, Beca, and LP had to get involved, you didn't necessarily help the situation, either."

Amy rolled her eyes, and focused her attention back on the road. "Fine! I'm sorry. I just… I got carried away, I guess." She admitted. "Look, it doesn't matter, now. We're all safe, nobody got arrested, and everybody's fine. Okay?" Beca questioned.

" _She has a point. Nobody did get arrested, and most of us, save for Jesse, weren't hurt."_ Chloe thought to herself, as Beca and LP took a seat next to one another.

LP took a seat next to the window, as Beca took the seat next to him. Then, she plugged her headphones into her phone, and turned on...

 _I don't give a damn about my bad reputation._

 _You're living in the past,_

 _It's a new generation._

 _A girl can do what she wants to do,_

 _And that's what I'm gonna do._

 _And I don't give a damn about my bad reputation…_

 _Oh no,_

 _Not me._

"Joan Jett, huh?" LP asked, breaking Beca's intent concentration on the music. Rolling her eyes a little, she removed the headphones from her ears. "Yeah. Seemed kinda fitting, considering we just narrowly avoided getting arrested."

He chuckled lightly in response, shaking his head as he did so. "Hey, uh… thanks, by the way. For saving my ass." Beca thanked. "Don't mention it. I don't think I would have kept going if it wasn't for you, actually." LP remarked, earning him a smile from the pale brunette.

As the tall boy conversed with Beca, Jesse couldn't help but watch. He took notice of their friendship. It wasn't that he was unhappy that Beca and LP were friends. Not that at all.

But, at the same time… he liked Beca. There was just something about her that seemed so interesting to him. She was his complete polar opposite, and he had a hunch that that was why she wasn't as interested in him as she was in LP.

And he couldn't help but feel jealous. He liked LP, and considered him more than a good friend, but couldn't ignore his feelings for Beca.

"You like her, don't you?" Someone asked Jesse, startling him. He turned around, and saw Ashley sitting next to him. "Jesus, you scared me." He admitted, shaking his head.

"I hear that a lot. And you didn't answer my question. I asked if you like Beca. So, do you?" She repeated, whispering. " _Of course I do. I want to get to know her better, too. But, at the same time, she doesn't seem interested in me. At all."_

He shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Eh. Kind of." Jesse lied, in a pitiful attempt to make it seem as if what she was asking was the farthest thing from the truth.

"Don't give me that, Roger Ebert. I know you like her. I've seen the way you look at her. I know that look. I've given that look. So cut the act, and own up to it." Ashley reprimanded, still keeping a hushed tone.

"I… uh… what business is it of yours? And why do you care? She's not even interested in me. She's interested in him." Jesse stated, looking out the window of the bus.

"I care because I've been in the exact same damn position you're in, Jesse. And it sucks. I know it sucks. To know that the person you love-" Ashley started, only for Jesse to do a double take. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Back track it there! I do not love her! I like her! I want to know more about her! The problem is that she's not interested in me. And she never will be."

Diverting his attention away from the girl once more, Jesse continued to try and ignore his feelings. But Ashley wouldn't have it. "Fine. Be that way. But when you're ready to own up to how you're feeling, come talk to me. I can give you advice."

So, she sat there, and looked at LP and Beca. The two sat next to one another, and were giving each other's taste in music a try. She could see that the friendship they had was special, and why it could have easily made Jesse think the way he was thinking.

" _They do like each other, don't they? It's just like… like…"_ She thought, briefly letting her mind wander. Back to high school. Back to… when she could be honest with herself.

Ashley shook her head, turning her attention back to the present. " _I don't wanna think about the past. It's all behind the both of us. And it's better this way."_

* * *

For a while, no one said anything. Everyone had their headphones plugged in, or just sat still, silently waiting until they got back to Barden. Then, as soon as they pulled up to the rehearsal building, Chloe's eyes widened.

"Oh, shit!" She exclaimed, breaking the silence, and turning everyone's attention towards her. "What? What is it?" Beca asked. "My date! I forgot I had a date with Tom, tonight!" Chloe yelled, quickly hopping off the bus as it came to a stop.

Then, she started running, only to not get very far because, you know, she was in high heels. Once she came to this realization, she stopped completely, because she knew she couldn't keep going much further.

"Ugh… oh, my God! I feel so stupid! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!" Chloe yelled into the night sky, as the Bellas crew, plus Jesse and Benji, got off the bus.

"Jesus. We need to tone down on the swearing." Amy said, as she followed behind Stacie. "Amy, you swear like a sailor. In fact, most of us cuss unnecessisarily!" Jessica stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, and you've never said a single curse-word in your life, huh?" Beca retorted. "Of course I've sworn, before. But do you see me shouting the word 'fuck' over and over again at the sky? I don't think so!" The blonde shot back, rolling her eyes as she did so.

"Whatever, blondie." Beca said, as she and Aubrey walked over to the manic Chloe. "Oh, Christ! What the Hell am I gonna do?! I left my phone back at the house! He's probably called and texted me numerous times! He was gonna pick me up after the performance! And now… I'm fucked!" She yelled.

"Red, I'm only gonna tell you this once: calm your tits. Just call him now, and tell him to pick you up here." CR attempted to reason with the redhead.

"Yeah. I mean, the plan doesn't necessarily have to change. Speaking of which, what was your plan, anyway?" Beca questioned, as Chloe took deep breaths in and out multiple times, before finally coming to a point where she felt ready to talk.

"The plan was that Tom was gonna pick me up after the performance. He'd take me to dinner at the diner, and we'd just… talk. And now, I'm gonna have to explain to him why I didn't pick up the phone." Chloe explained before breathing out heavily.

LP bit his lip, before going over to the redhead. He set his right hand on her shoulder, prompting her to look up at him. The boy smiled, and said, "Don't worry. If he's a good guy, then I think he'll understand. So, what I suggest is that you go back to your place, change, grab your phone, call him, and explain to him what happened."

For a moment, Chloe wasn't sure if she wanted to hug LP first, or go to Casa Bella first. She chose to hug him first. She grabbed him, and pulled him into a hug, whispering in his ear, "Thank you. I'll take your advice, but I need something from you. Will you help me?"

LP pulled his head away from her lips, and said, "Absolutely! Anything! What do you need?" Then, Chloe looked at the other Bellas, Jesse, and Benji, and asked, "Would you guys, all of you, be up for having some kind of… sleepover, I guess? At Casa Bella?"

Expectedly, this got the girls, LP, Jesse, and Benji interested, and led to Aubrey having an incredibly adverse reaction to Chloe's suggestion. "NO! NO! NO! Not happening! We can't just have a sleepover on such short notice! And besides, do you not realize what day it is?! It's-it's… what day is today?" Aubrey questioned, to the confusion of everyone around her.

"It's Friday." Benji interjected. Aubrey's eyes widened as the realization dawned on her, and she looked around at the other girls, who smiled mockingly at her. Then, she looked at LP and Chloe, hoping to find some objection from the two. But all she found was a toothy grin from her best friend, and a smirk from the 'aca-asshole'. "No classes, tomorrow." He joked.

"Ugh… fine. We can have a sleepover. But I want you all at Casa Bella by ten. Pillows, blankets, pajamas if you've got 'em. And please, if you plan on showering there, bring some toiletries. Oh, and LP, Jesse, and Benji, you're on movie detail, since we're probably gonna wanna watch a movie or two." Aubrey demanded, before turning to go back home with Chloe.

"Wait! Where the Hell is Casa Bella?" Stacie asked, to which Aubrey turned back around, and smirked. "Why don't you ask Officer Friendly over there? He seems to be getting around."

Then, she knowingly winked at the raven-haired boy, before spinning around once more, and gleefully clicking her heels away from the others, Chloe in tow.

And as soon as they were out of sight, everyone looked to LP for… guidance, so to speak. "Well, what are you all standing around here, for? You heard Captain Sobel back there! You guys should all go and grab your stuff, before-"

LP was then interrupted by the flashing of lights from behind him, as another bus pulled up, only to come to a complete stop. Then, as the headlights went out, out of the bus came Bumper Allen, with yet another bandage over his face, and a few other Trebles.

"Well, well, well. Look who's in Treble. Ah… good to see you, losers." Bumper taunted. "You need to turn around, asshole. This is where we practice. Not you." LP stated, as the tall jackass walked toward him and the others.

"Yeah, it is. We know this, and you know it too… RJ, am I right?" Bumper condescendingly asked, knowing damn well what he was doing. "It's LP. And you better go away, or else you're gonna get your ass handed to you." LP confidently shot back, standing his ground.

Bumper laughed. "You, and what homo parade? Huh? I mean, it's us vs a fat chick, a slut, a lesbian, those twins from The Shining, a possible serial killer, a smug, moody emo, a loser, a wanna-be magician, and you." He mocked. Then, LP clenched his fists, clearly ready to lay something fierce down if necessary.

Then, just as he sure as shit would have done something he regretted, Beca and Jesse walked over, Beca grabbing LP's wrist. He looked at the young woman, the anger in his eyes slowly vanishing. "Don't engage…" She mouthed, before releasing his wrist.

Then, she and Jesse stood side-by-side next to their friend. "You can talk shit all you want, Bumper, but it doesn't change the fact that we'd still wipe that shit-eating grin off your face." Jesse growled.

"Count me in, too. You know why? Because, given the opportunity, any one of us could and would kick your ass." Beca added in, as the other Bellas and Benji took a stand next to them, with the curly-haired boy taking both of his hands, and raising them up only to give Bumper two middle fingers.

"We're with them. You want to mess with a homo parade, huh? Well, you're gonna get 300 pounds of my sexy ass squishing you, instead!" Amy yelled, as LP smirked at Bumper, whose confidence and cockiness were slowly dminishing.

"You wanted a homo parade? Well, guess what? You got us, the second best thing. And it's me and my 'weirdo' friends against you, asshole, and anyone else stupid enough to mess with us. So, here's how this is gonna go: if you're here by the time I count to ten, well… let's just say, it's not gonna be pretty. So, why don't you do the smart thing, and run away? Here, to make it easier, I'll count to ten, and you can do whatever you want to do within that timeframe, starting now." LP threatened, before putting up his two hands, and raising all his fingers.

"I'm counting! One, two-", And then, within seconds, the Trebles ran back onto the bus, with their 'fearless leader' being the first one on board, scattered and nervous like the snivelling weasel that he was.

Soon, all of the Trebles were on the bus. Even sooner, said bus was out of sight. LP's smirk vanished from his face, as he turned to face his friends. "Well… that went as well as could be expected, didn't it? Now, about that sleepover..."

 _Author's Note: I am so sorry that this got delayed! I've been really busy with school and other stuff lately, and had wanted to get back to this story for quite some time! I'm glad you guys are sticking with this story, and I hope you stay to see what's coming up soon! Skull726, or Margaret, you have an awesome first name, and I'm happy that you enjoyed Chapter Eleven! Saggitarius, the dream was somewhat intended to be confusing, since a lot of what happened in it will be explained later! By the way, I laughed at the Tom scene, too! I'm glad you found it funny! The next chapter will focus on LP, the Bellas, Jesse, and Benji getting to know each other a little better, and giving a few of the characters a little more backstory than we're used to. Also, for those interested in the relationship between LP and Beca, don't worry, I have something interesting planned for that! Anywho, thank you all for reading! If you have things that you'd like to tell me, namely comments on how to be a better writer or thoughts on the chapter or story as a whole, please leave a review in the review section. And, as always, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, wishing you all a good week! As for me... this week is going to be terrible. See ya later!_


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter Thirteen: Quality Time with the Bellas_

BECA'S POV

It takes five minutes after I get back to my room and me starting getting packed up for my Dad to call me. For a second, I consider not answering. Why should I? It's a free country, and I'm independent. Or, at least I'm supposed to be.

So, I reluctantly answer my ringing phone. "Ey, b0ss." I jokingly answer. "You know what? I'm just going to ignore that, because I have a few questions for you, young lady."

'Young lady'? He hasn't called me that since I was thirteen. It was stupid then, and it's stupid now. But, I ignore it because he sounds pretty serious. "Um… okay. Shoot."

"So, when you joined an acapella group, I didn't expect that you would be getting in trouble, and running away from police officers. Did you?"

Oh, fuck. He knows. What the Hell do I do now? Do I bullshit my way out? Do I choose honesty? Do I defend myself with giving him the facts?

"I… it was my friend. He was in trouble, and I needed to help him. I didn't start the fight." I try to explain myself. But he won't have it. "But you didn't help the situation, either! You punched a man in the face, and you, another girl, and some boy threw a trophy through a window!"

I sigh, and shake my head. "How did you find all of this out?" He breathes in a few times, clearly trying to calm himself. He always does this when he's mad at me, or someone else.

"Security footage. And a phone call from the center you were playing at. An old friend works as a security guard, there. Now, my turn for questions. Who was that boy you were running away with? Some delinquent?"

I shake my head again. I don't know why I keep doing this. It's not like Dad can see my shaking my head. And I'm especially pissed at the notion that he thinks LP is a delinquent, which is the furthest thing from the truth.

"No! He's not a delinquent! He's a good guy! He's one of the Bellas!" I exclaim. "Wait a minute. He's a Bella? Chloe and Aubrey let a boy join the Bellas?" Wait a fuck. How the Hell does he know Chloe and Aubrey?

I ask him how he knows who they are. "I had them as students. They're good kids. Now answer me again: who is that boy?" He curtly responds.

I bite my lip. I have no idea how the Hell I'm gonna answer him and make it sound like LP's not a bad guy.

"He's… his name is LP McDaniel. Dad, he's my friend! And he's not a bad guy. He's probably the nicest guy I've met here, honestly!" I'm so damn desperate. Desperate to prove to my Father that my friend isn't a piece of shit.

"LP… LP McDaniel? What kind of parent names their child 'LP'? Oh, never mind! The point is, if this is how things are going to go, I'm not going to pay for your little trip to-" NO. I stop him. Right there.

"No! Anything but that! Dad, I'm sorry! I was just… I was just trying to help my friends! This won't happen again! I promise! Just don't take away LA!" I protest. I can't lose LA. Not now.

For a few moments, there is nothing but silence. And it terrifies me. It really does. Then, thank God, he speaks again. "Fine. I won't take LA away. Not yet, anyway. But if this happens again, kiss that trip goodbye."

And then, he hangs up. Father and daughter of the year, everyone.

* * *

JESSE'S POV

* * *

Never in a million years did I imagine this. I mean, I've been to sleepovers before, what kid hasn't? But… I've never seen myself being at a sleepover where I'm one of the only guys there.

Tonight, after a series of events that involved me getting punched in the face, the girl I have a crush on and my new friend nearly getting arrested, and a close-encounter of the nerd kind with an asshole, I am now in my room, packing up movies for a sleepover.

With a bunch of girls. Whoopity-fuckin' do. Not that I'm complaining, mainly because… well, now, I finally have an opportunity to get to know Beca better. This is all I've wanted for three months, and now… I finally have it.

Benji is grabbing his pajamas, his tooth brush, and a blanket, and putting them in a bag. "Hey, what movies are you thinking of bringing?" He asks me while he packs his stuff, and all without keeping eye contact! Most impressive!

"Um… well, I don't know what to bring since I don't know any of the Bellas' tastes. D'you think they'll like Shrek? Or Shrek 2?" I ask. Then, Benji looks back at me with nothing but a blank stare on his face.

"Really? You think the girls are gonna want to watch Mike Myers as on ogre, farting and burping for an hour and a half?" He asks. "Point taken. I'll choose something else. Um… Drive? Taxi Driver?" I suggest, pulling out stacks of DVDs.

"Hmm… Drive, maybe. Taxi Driver, no. At least Drive has Ryan Gosling in it. Women like him, right?" Benji adds in. "Pfft. He's still just that pretty boy from The Notebook, to me. He's probably not gonna last much longer in Hollywood." It's true, you know. He'll probably never get that big, right?

Five seconds later, the door to our dorm room opens, and in walks LP, who isn't wearing his suit and tie, and is now wearing a red button down and jeans. And, of course, he's back in that black beanie. Go figure.

"Hey. You guys ready?" He asks. "I'm ready. Benjamin, you good?" I say, looking over at Benji, who responds with a thumbs up.

"So, what are you gonna bring for a movie? Or, what were you thinking of bringing?" LP asks me. "Um… well, I don't really know what to bring, honestly. I just don't know any movies that the girls will love and that we'll love. You know? I kinda want a compromise between us." I admit.

"A movie that we'll all love… hmm… WAIT. I've got an idea." He says, before walking over to his bag, and grabbing a DVD from it. His lips are curling into a wicked smile, and he keeps it on his face. All the way until he walks over to me, and puts it on the floor in front of me.

My eyes widen, and my own lips curl into a smile as I stare at the pure perfection in front of me. "Oh… perfect." Then, Benji comes over, and stares at it as well, a big smile on his own face. "Yep… this is gonna be epic."

"Then it's settled! We bring this movie, and we also bring Heat, because Beca wanted to watch it!" LP says, before going over to his bed to grab his stuff.

Five minutes later, we're all packed, and at the door. "Gentleman… tonight is going to be fan-fucking-tastic!" LP exclaims. "Then let's get the Hell outta here, and get to that house!" Benji yells. "You lead the way, dude!" I add my voice in. And, just like that, we're off to see the witches, the wonderful witches of Barden!

* * *

3RD PERSON POV

* * *

The girls stood outside Baker Hall, waiting for the boys to show up. They had been waiting for nearly thirty minutes, and were growing bored.

All of them had a bag, filled with their blankets, pajamas, toothbrushes, and a few other things, and every bag was either draped over their shoulders, or on the ground next to them.

Stacie checked her watch for what had to have been the fifteenth time in the last thirty minutes, and sighed. She tapped her feet, growing more and more impatient.

"Where the Hell are those boys?" Amy questioned out-loud. "Yeah. Anyone else up for going to their room to see if they're gonna be coming down any time soon? We've been waiting here for, what? Thirty minutes now?" Stacie asked.

"Calm your tits, Conrad. They'll be down soon." Beca interjected, earning her a roll of the eyes from Stacie. "We'll be down now." The voice of LP McDaniel remarked, turning the Bellas' attention in the direction of which his voice came from.

"Speak of the Goddamn devil…" CR remarked, as LP, Jesse, and Benji, all with bags slung over their backs, walked over to the girls. "I'm pretty sure that those two words shouldn't be used in the same sentence." Benji somewhat sarcastically responded.

CR rolled her eyes, as Beca finally got off of the bench she was sitting on. "Good to see you, too." She joked. "It's about time you showed up! While you flat-butts were upstairs, we were down here, freezing ours off!" Amy barked.

"Amy, answer me two things: one, why do you keep calling everybody a flat-butt? Two, why are you looking at my ass?" LP asked. "Two answers: one, for as long as I've been here, all I see is a bunch of pancakes for asses. Two, I stare at everyone's ass. Don't take it personally!" Amy said, winking.

Jesse and Benji blinked for a moment, clearly finding what Amy said to be absurd. "Um… 'kay, then." A confused Benji muttered. "So, Officer Friendly, tell us. Where is Casa Bella?" Ashley asked, ignoring Benji's comment.

"Follow my lead, ladies and gents!" LP exclaimed, turning his back to the folks around him. As he walked, his bag draped over his shoulders, Jesse, Benji, and the girls all grabbed their bags, and walked behind him.

The only ones to walk beside the beanie-wearing 'Aca asshole' were Jesse and Beca, and he was perfectly fine with that. " _Hopefully, tonight is fun."_ He thought to himself, as they walked through the campus.

* * *

When they were close to the house, LP came to a complete stop, and when he stopped, so did the others. He then took a moment to look to the house on the right. "This is it. Casa Bella, in all its glory." He said, as the other girls stared at the house.

"Wow… nice house." Stacie complimented. "Ooh la la…" Jessica quipped. "'Ooh la la'? Jess, you haven't said that since we left high school." Ashley remarked. "I know. I just like the sound of it."

At that moment, as they stood before the house, admiring it, the front door opened, and out walked Aubrey, who was wearing, much to their surprise, a blue robe with blue pants. "You're thirty minutes early." She snidely said to them.

"Never knew you liked robes, Aubrey." Beca jokes. "Fuck off, Mitchell. Now, if you want this sleepover to happen, get inside! It's fucking cold out!" The blonde commanded, to which they all said, in unison, "Yes, sir! Drill sergeant, sir!"

Aubrey rolled her eyes as the others walked up the steps of Casa Bella, and into the house. One by one, the Bellas and their two (unwanted) guests came in. The last one to walk in was LP, but before he did, he was pulled aside by the blonde.

"Listen. I… you know that I was less than thrilled at the idea of having a sleepover with everyone. Not just you. And… I'm sorry. For the way I acted earlier tonight. I mean, I get it. What it's like to feel that way about someone else. But LP, I need you to understand that Chloe is with Tom now, and-"

At that point, the raven-haired boy stopped the blonde. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the Hell are you talking about?" He questioned. "LP, I get it! It's okay to have a toner for Chloe, but-" Aubrey continued, only to once again be interrupted by LP.

"WAIT A FUCK. You think… you think… you think that I… have a crush on Chloe?" He asked, to which Aubrey nodded her head in response. "No. I think you have a toner. A musical boner. Which you do, right?"

For a moment, LP could do nothing but stare at Aubrey. Then, much to the surprise of the older female, the boy burst out laughing, closing his eyes, because tears were rolling down his face. He even rolled on the floor because he was laughing so hard.

As Aubrey watched with the same level of confusion that LP had only moments earlier, Jesse, Beca, and Amy all walked out, with the others behind them.

"What the Hell's going on?" Beca questioned, looking at the scene before her. "Yeah, is he okay?" Benji added. "He was fine until I talked to him about his toner for Chloe!" Aubrey exclaimed, earning her wide-eyed stares from everyone. Then, they too burst out laughing, some of them even rolling on the floor.

"IT'S NOT THAT FUNNY! I'M JUST TRYING TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT HAVING A TONER FOR MY BEST FRIEND!" She yelled, making them laugh even harder than before, and making her facepalm.

* * *

"Wow. That was a really great grilled cheese sandwich. Thanks for the recommendation!" Tom said, making Chloe smile a little as the pair walked down the sidewalk back to Casa Bella.

"No problemo… a friend recommended it to me." Her eyes turned to the side a little, as if to not focus on her new boyfriend, and think about how her beanie-wearing friend had recommended the, in his own words, 'marvelously exquisite grilled cheese sandwiches, cooked to perfection and served with a side of heated tomato soup'.

The redhead chuckled a little at the recent memory, and was happy that she had recommended it to Tom. "So… what are you up to, tonight?" The younger male asked, somewhat shyly.

Chloe reverted her attention to her date. "Hmm? Oh! Um… well, actually… wait, what the Hell?" Her attention was once again turned to something else entirely. And it was coming from the direction of… Casa Bella. " _Of course."_

She began to pace towards the house, briskly making her way down the road, as Tom followed suit. Then, the two of them both walked up the steps to the front of Casa Bella, only to find quite the interesting sight.

See, all of the Bellas, including LP and Beca, and Jesse and Benji, were all on their asses, laughing like hyenas, all while Aubrey, almost nonchalantly, banged her head against the wall.

"Ahem! Would you mind telling me what's so funny?" Chloe questioned, her arms crossed. Almost instantly, the others stopped what they were doing, and got up. And then, all of them were stuttering, trying to find the right words to say.

"Um… hi!" LP awkwardly said, waving his hand at Tom. "Hey, dude! Uh, sorry for this morning. Chloe told me that someone here named Amy told her how you felt about it. By the way, my dick's not that big, is it?" He asked, making LP slap the palm of his hand onto his face.

Chloe rolled her eyes, irritated that she wasn't getting an answer. "Quiet! Beca, would you mind telling me what the Hell is going on?" As everyone else quickly shut up, Beca struggled to find the words required for explaining their current scenario.

"Uh… well, y'see, we were just laughing at Aubrey, because she-" Beca began, only for LP to interrupt her. "Told us a really funny joke! It was… uh, heh heh, it was really something, right Aubrey?" He lied, a false grin plastered to his face.

Chloe turned her attention to her blonde friend, who had a blank expression on her face. Aubrey's eyes shot a sharp glare at Lee Patrick McDaniel, who mouthed 'I'm sorry'.

"Um, yeah! It was really funny! You would've loved to hear it!" Aubrey nervously laughed, before walking over to the door. Then, just as she was about to open the door, Tom had to say, "Oh, I love jokes! Could you tell me?"

Aubrey bit her lip, and turned around to face Chloe and Tom, the 'Stepford Smile' on her face once again. "Um… sure! It goes… uh… well… you know what? I… I wasn't the one who first told the joke!" She lied, earning a wide-eyebrowed response from Chloe. "Oh?"

Aubrey nodded her head. "Mmm hmm! Yep! It was… uh… Jessica! She told the joke first!" She exclaimed, pointing at the poor girl, who was currently wearing her own grey beanie.

"Uh… yeah. It was pretty funny. It goes like this… um… oh! I got it! Why didn't the eleven year old go the pirate movie? Because it was rated arrgh!" Jessica joked, before laughing a little at herself. Unfortunately, no one else laughed. In fact, everyone looked at her with a blank stare.

"I don't get it." Amy said. "Neither do I." Stacie added in. "Me, neither." Jesse remarked. Then, the blonde pinched the bridge of her nose, and shook her head. "I'm surrounded by idiots." She muttered.

* * *

LP admired the interior of Casa Bella as he set his things down in the living room. As he did, his headphones played more music in his ear. It was only the finest of songs from two high quality singers:

 _A stove… is a stove_

 _No matter where you go._

 _A patty… is a patty_

 _That's what I say._

 _A grill… is a grill._

 _This is surely so._

 _And fries… should be fries_

 _Either way._

 _But this grill is not a home._

 _This is not the stove I know._

 _I would trade it all away,_

 _If you'd come back to stay._

 _This kitchen's not the same…_

 _Without you._

" _Ah… SpongeBob music is the best."_ LP thought to himself as he turned around to face the others. Everybody was finally settled in, including Tom, who wanted to stick around for a little while longer, since he hadn't had much, or any, interaction with the other Bellas, or Jesse and Benji for that matter.

"So… what movies did you bring, Aca-Asshole?" Amy asked, earning her a light tap on the arm from Stacie. "I am very happy you asked that, Amy." Jesse said in a voice that made it clear he was chewing as much scenery as he could get.

"Mmm, yes! For tonight's viewing pleasure, misters and ladies, we have brought two fantastic movies that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer!" LP added in, continuing the streak of talking in an over-the-top voice.

"Field of Dreams?" Stacie suggested. "Never seen it, but nope." Benji remarked. "Forrest Gump?" Tom asked. "Great movie, but no." Jesse answered. "Jerry Maguire?" Jessica interjected, earning a smile from LP.

"Oh, thank you for mentioning Jerry Maguire! Great movie, one of my favorite Cruise movies! When I first saw it, I immediately bought 'Secret Garden', afterwards." LP said, as Jessica smiled back. "Yup. It's one of my favorites from when I was a teen. Actually, once in high school, we had to memorize a monologue, so a friend and I memorized the entire 'you complete me' scene."

LP nodded his head, happy to find a common interest with the blonde, whom he, admittedly, didn't talk to much. "How'd you do on it?" He asked. Jessica shrugged her shoulders. "We got an A."

"Okay, enough about that scientology worshipping maniac and his movie. Can we actually see what you brought for tonight?" Aubrey butted in. "Right. Eh-he-he-hem! Ladies and gentleman, we have brought you two classic flicks. The first being a movie that I promised Beca I'd watch with her, Michael Mann's Heat!" LP said, pulling the DVD from out of his bag.

Chloe gently grabbed the DVD from his hands, and looked over it. "This looks cool! It looks… wait… one hundred and seventy minutes?! Jesus!" Chloe exclaimed when reading over the runtime. "One hundred and... oh, Hell no! I ain't watching that!" CR stated.

"Oh, come on! It's a really good movie! That, and we have all night to watch this and the other one!" Jesse pleaded. "Well, what's the other one?" A curious Beca asked.

"Ah, I'm happy you asked, Ms. Mitchell!" LP said, as he grinned his biggest grin at both Jesse and Benji, the latter giving him a thumbs up as he pulled out the second DVD.

"Oh! Hold on! Gents, before I reveal the second DVD, would you mind cuing me in with some music?" LP requested. "We got you covered!" Benji replied, before looking at Jesse. "Ready?" The taller boy asked. "Ready!"

JESSE and BENJI: Dun dun dun dun dun. Dun dun dun dun dun.

They continued singing this same beat over and over again as LP pulled out the DVD, revealing to the others… "Terminator 2: Judgement Day?" Aubrey was the first one to comment.

"Yeah! Or just T2, if you want to simplify it!" LP giddily exclaimed. "But… that's a guys movie." Beca interrupted, much to the shock of not only LP, not only Jesse, and not only Benji, but also Tom. "WHAT?!" All four boys yelled in unison, to the surprise of the girls and especially LP.

"Terminator 2 is a classic! It's for everyone!" Tom protested. " _Oh, thank God! Another T2 fan!"_ LP thought to himself, before opening his own mouth. "Yeah, guys! T2 is made for everyone, even girls!" LP explained.

"Really? Then name five girls that you know that have watched Terminator 2." Aubrey crossed her arms, smugly smiling that 'Stepford Smile' as she did so. "My Mom. My… friend, Marissa. My aunt Christine. My teacher, Ms. Calloway. Hell, even my little sister has watched it! All of them loved it!"

Ashley did a double take on the last example, and interjected with, "Whoa, whoa! Your little sister?" LP nodded his head. "Uh huh! She loves it, and she really likes John Connor in the movie. If only she could see what Edward Furlong looks like, now."

The other Bellas' expressions turned to looks of shock, as they all looked at one another. For a few moments, nobody knew what to say, not even Jesse and Benji. And Tom was mostly confused.

"Wait a minute. Two things: one, you've never mentioned that you have a little sister. Two, how old is she?" Jessica broke the silence. "Oh, yeah! I have a little sister. Her name's June, and she's seven."

The surprise had completely turned into shock. "YOU LET A SEVEN YEAR OLD WATCH AN R-RATED MOVIE ABOUT A CYBORG KILLING PEOPLE?!" Stacie yelled, startling LP.

"Hey, I didn't let her watch it! It was my Dad! He let her watch it because he didn't give a damn what it was rated, or how old she was! He wanted to watch it, and he had her watch it with him." LP attempted to reason with the girls.

"Wait, why the Hell wouldn't your Dad care about what your sister watches? Doesn't that make him really irresponsible?" Beca questioned, to which LP's expression turned into a noticeable frown.

"Well… uh… he really didn't give a shit, actually. He never really cared what June or I watched, just so long as there wasn't a lot of nudity, which T2 didn't really have, save for a few scenes. So, that's why my little sister and I have watched a lot of R-rated movies. One day, I found her watching 300 on TV. Of her own choice." LP explained, as he turned away so as to not face the others.

He didn't talk about these kinds of things often. His home life, or his past. He didn't want to. He hated thinking about it. So… why was he being honest, now? Natural instinct? Impulsiveness? Maybe… or maybe… he was finally coming around to them.

"It doesn't really matter. Let's just… let's watch a movie, shall we? What do you guys want to watch first?"

* * *

They all wanted to watch Terminator 2. As LP put in the DVD, Beca twiddled her thumbs, bored. "Full disclosure: I'm probably gonna hate this movie."

LP wouldn't have it. "Why do you say that?" In response, Beca shrugged. "I don't know. The concept of a buff Austrian dude playing the bad guy for two hours just doesn't sound appealing to me. I mean, I haven't even seen the first movie! And, from what Jesse told me about this one and that one, they sound like the exact same movie, just with a new character. What makes you think I'm gonna like it?"

Then, LP popped in the DVD, and looked back, a mischievous smile on his face. "Trust me."

Then, he took a seat next to Chloe and Tom on the couch, who were cuddling. "Sorry, guys. Mind if I sit here?" He asked, feeling somewhat uncomfortable for obvious reasons. "Not at all, dude! Buckle up, ladies. You're all in for a ride."

* * *

When the bar scene came on, with Arnold Schwarzenegger's character, the T-101, walked into a bar completely naked, Amy's mouth hung wide open.

"Bing bong! Hello, sexy motherfucker!" She yelled, earning groans from the others. "What? Arnold's hot! Or, at least he used to be. Still has those muscles, though." Amy tried to explain herself.

"Fun fact: Arnold was not actually naked in this scene. He actually wore boxers. Fun fact #2: in a few seconds, the director, James Cameron, is about to make a cameo. And fun fact #3-" Jesse droned on, much to the annoyance of Aubrey.

"Ugh, can you be quiet and let us enjoy this stupid movie about a naked robot? Please?!" She requested, shutting the dark-haired boy up.

"Just one question: why are none of these chicks getting out their pepper spray? I mean, if a naked guy walked anywhere close to me, I'd be getting mine out!" Jessica remarked, earning her a look from LP, Jesse, Benji, and Tom. "It's Arnold. He has a dick and abs. It's a movie. Enjoy it." They all said in unison.

* * *

During the scene where the Terminator and the T-1000 were both searching for John Connor in a mall, Beca repeatedly tapped her chin with the tips of her fingers, disinterested so far.

"This is boring. We all know that Arnold is just gonna try and kill this annoying little asshole. The only part that I'm even mildly interested in is Sarah."

LP rolled his eyes, and looked back at her. "Beca, you're a great friend and all, but please, just enjoy the movie! You might be surprised by what's gonna go-OH, SHIT! This is it! Pay attention, everyone!"

Suddenly, as the T-1000 and the T-101 both approached John Connor, Beca anticipated the T-1000 saving John as the T-101 slowly made its way toward him. And as the T-101 aimed his shotgun in the boy's direction, she thought to herself, " _Here it comes…"_

Then, the T-101 said two solitary words. "Get down." And with that, he fired his shotgun at what everyone, including Beca, had thought to be the hero of the story.

The brunette's mouth hung wide open, as the T-101 proceeded to protect John from being killed by the T-1000. "Wait… what the fuck? WHAT THE FUCK?! I thought Arnold was the bad guy!"

LP looked over at her, and smiled. "I told you you'd be surprised!" He exclaimed, before taking his attention back to the movie.

And then, Beca, along with the others, proceeded to watch intently, completely taken off guard by the twist of the film. " _Huh… maybe this'll be better than I thought."_

* * *

At a certain point in the movie, after rescuing Sarah Connor, the Terminator, John, and Sarah stopped at one of their friend's home to get weapons.

As Beca watched closely, Chloe looked over at LP, to see what he was up to. In the background, the voice of Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor spoke.

"Watching John with the machine, it was suddenly so clear. The Terminator would never stop. It would never leave him, and it would never hurt him, never shout at him, or get drunk and hit him, or say it was too busy to spend time with him. It would always be there. And it would die… to protect him. Of all the would-be Fathers who came and went over the years, this thing, this machine, was the only one who measured up. In an insane world, it was the sanest choice."

For some reason, when Chloe looked at LP, she found that he looked… sad. He looked like he had seen a ghost. Like those words had meaning to him when he heard them.

She wasn't the only one who noticed, either. Beca looked at the boy, also, and saw a sadness in his eyes that she hadn't seen before in him. Something that she didn't really know was possible to see from someone like LP.

" _What is going on inside your head, Lee Patrick McDaniel?"_

* * *

Near the end of the movie, after the T-1000 had been destroyed, after the T-101 revealed that he had to be lowered into the steel, and when John had to beg the Terminator not to go, Beca breathed heavily as she watched the film.

"I know now why you cry. But it is something I could never do." The Terminator said, with no emotion in his voice as he gently touched John's face. And then, the young boy hugged the machine, and the machine hugged him back.

And then, Beca cried. Tears rolled down her face as she watched the three heroes stand together. As a family. She had no idea why, but it hit harder than she could imagine.

For a moment, she didn't know why she was so emotionally affected. Then, it hit her. It reminded her of her family. Of all the times where her parents argued, of all the times where her Father came home late from work, when her family was ripped apart by divorce.

She looked around, and saw that she wasn't the only one crying. LP McDaniel, the toughest motherfucker she had ever met, was slowly breaking down. Tears rolled down his eyes as he watched the tearful John and Sarah Connor lower the Terminator into the steel that would destroy him.

All of the others looked visibly saddened by the scene, but none of them were crying. None of them had the same reaction that she and LP had.

And, as the T-101, with his final act, raised his thumb up to the Mother-son duo, Beca moved over to the visibly broken young man, and wrapped her arms around him.

Breathing heavily, the boy cried, and put his head on her shoulder. "I know. It's okay. I… I'm crying, too." She chuckled through tears. As they hugged, Aubrey watched the two. She looked at Jesse, and saw… jealousy. " _Hmm… now things are getting interesting."_

* * *

As the movie came to a close, and the credits began rolling, LP wiped his eyes for what would be the final time, and went over to turn off the movie.

Then, she turned around, and looked at the others, his eyes red. "So… what did you all think?" He asked nonchalantly. Chloe smiled big. "I loved it! So damn good!" Stacie nodded her head in agreement. "Pretty great, not gonna lie."

"I'm hot for Linda Hamilton, now." CR joked, though no one could tell if she was joking or not. "That was fucking amazing." Jessica said, emphasizing the word 'fuck'. "That was… that was something else." Ashley added in.

Lily muttered, in her normal hushed voice, "That was a phenomenal movie, and gave me the idea to invent a T-101 model." Yes, that sounds about as weird to me as it does to you. Still, it's not like anyone else could hear her.

"I thought it was good… better than I thought it'd be." Aubrey admitted, as everyone looked over at the pale, petite brunette that was Beca Mitchell. She bit her lip, and gave a small, sad smile. "For the first movie that ever surprised me, I… I really loved it. Thanks for… opening my mind a little."

LP smiled as he looked in her eyes. "Aw… Beca's small heart grew three sizes this day!" He joked, prompting laughter from everyone, even Aubrey, in the room.

After a fit of laughter, Chloe rubbed her eyes, and checked the time on her phone. She still sat next to Tom. "Oof… it's only 12:30. What the Hell do we do now?"

LP removed his beanie from his head, and ran it over his face. "No idea, Chlo. No idea. I'd say we watch Heat, but that movie is pretty long… and we'd all probably fall asleep to it." Ashley bit her lip, before saying, "We could… we could talk about our lives a little more. Where we went to high school, what we love doing in our spare time, stuff like that. Y'know? At least try to get to know each other better?"

Aubrey bobbed her head, thinking on that proposal. "That actually isn't a horrible idea. Maybe getting to know each other a little better would actually be helpful. So… why don't I start?"

The blonde cleared her throat. "My full name is Aubrey Marie Posen. Before I came to Barden, I was a student at Washington High School, here in Atlanta. I went with Chloe. She… she was my best friend throughout all four years. Why do you think we A) haven't killed each other yet, and B) are still working together?"

She finished her piece, and looked to Chloe. "Well, um… I went to the same high school as Aubrey, I met her on the first day of high school, and, believe it or not, my hair wasn't red at the time!" She explained, much to the surprise of the others.

"Yeah! Tell you the truth, I was born blonde!" She continued, surprising everyone, save for Aubrey, but especially Tom and LP. "You were a blonde before?" The former asked, to which Chloe enthusiastically nodded her head.

"Mmm hmm! I dyed my hair because people thought that Aubrey and I were too similar to each other, and started to not be able to tell us apart. At first, I wanted to go blue, but my Daddy was against it, so I didn't do it." Chloe explained.

"You still call your Father 'Daddy'?" Amy interrupted. "Come on, man." CR said, rolling her eyes. "What? I'm just asking a question!" Amy shot back.

Jessica pinched the bridge of her nose, and shook her head, saying, "Once again, I find myself surrounded by idiots. Now will you finally let Chloe get back to talking?"

Amy shut up, and Chloe got back to talking. "Anyway, Aubrey and I stuck together all throughout high school. She was the first person I met on my first day of Freshman year. And, well, we were inseparable. Still are, by the way!"

LP couldn't help but grin at Chloe's positive, nostalgic reflection on the past. As she chirped away about Aubrey and her being cheerleaders, or having nail painting sessions, or going to their first concert together, his smile grew.

"And… that's how we got here." Chloe finished. "You guys are pretty close, huh?" Tom asked, earning him both a kiss and a cheeky smile from Chloe. "Yep! Friends forever! Now, it's your turn."

Tom cleared his throat, and wrapped his arm around Chloe. "Well, I went to high school in Princeton. I lived there all my life with my Mom and big brother, since my Dad left when I was just a kid."

LP was a bit shocked to learn about this, but also rather disheartened. " _And I thought I had it bad when Mom and Dad got divorced."_

The beanie-wearing teen walked over, and put his arm on the older gentleman's shoulder. Tom looked up at LP, who in turn looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, man. That must be awful."

Tom coolly shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay. I still get to see my Dad every now and then. No big deal."

LP bit his lip, and removed his hand from Tom's shoulder. Then, he took his own seat, as Tom looked to Amy. "Well, it's my turn. Some of you, or all of you, know that I am from Tasmania. I grew up there my whole life, and I was actually home-schooled! So, if you ever wonder why I am the way I am, that's part of the reason. That's all, folks!"

Stacie stood up next, clearly eager to talk a little bit about herself. "Well… I lived in Boston my whole life. Contrary to what you might think, I did pretty good in high school. I got good grades, I studied my ass off and, somehow, found a way to enjoy my life. So, yeah. I got it good!"

She sat back down, as Cynthia-Rose, who sat next to the brunette, and who stayed sitting as she prepped herself. "Well… I lived in California for a few years when I was a kid, but then my Dad and my Mom had me move here. This was the only college that was really open for me. And the less said about high school, the better."

As CR finished up, LP looked at Ashley. "How about you, Ash vs. Evil Dead?" He jokingly asked her, who abruptly ended twiddling her thumbs to look at him. "Hmm? Oh! Uh… well, hold on."

She pressed her thumbs to her lips. From the looks of it, she was deeply thinking about what it was she had to say. Finally, she cleared her throat, and spoke, loudly and clearly.

"Well… I didn't have many friends in high school. For the first year or so, I wasn't very extroverted. I didn't go to parties or dances, or anything like that. Then, I met Jess. She offered me a chance to hang out with her and her group of friends, and I never regret taking it. My second, third, and fourth years of high school were some of the best years of my life. Thank you for that."

The blonde with a hat of her own on her head sadly smiled. Jesse took notice. He went back and forth on looking at her and looking at Ashley. " _There's more to this story than either wants to admit, isn't there? Because there always is."_

As Ashley finished, she looked to her best friend. "Oh, my turn? Well… I went to high school in California. I'm a city girl, and an only child. I lived with both of my parents, and went to Northside High. I had a lot of great friends, but, like Ash said, I didn't meet her until the next year. After that… I had the best. Damn. Years. Of. My life."

Ashley chuckled, a half-formed smile on her face. "Glad we share that sentiment." Jessica grinned, and sighed, closing her eyes. But nobody seemed to notice that there was a sadness in the smile. Well, nobody except for Lee Patrick McDaniel and Jesse Swanson.

In LP's mind: " _What's our perky blonde thinking at the moment? And is she aware that I can see that she's sad about something?"_ In Jesse's mind: " _Yup, there's more to this story than meets the eye. Thank you, Jessica. You just gave up your position."_

It was Lily's turn. Unfortunately, nobody could hear what she was saying. It took Beca reading her lips for them all to figure out what she really said was that she liked to keep her past a secret, and that it made her more interesting.

Speaking of Beca, it was her turn. "Well, I went to high school in Chicago. Just like LP and Tom, my parents got a divorce, but they got one when I was but a wee lass. When I got to high school, I made a few friends here and there, and I got by on pretty good grades. But college wasn't my main goal, same with dating and grades and parties and shit."

Jesse's eyes widened, as did his ears, when he heard her mention dating. "I mostly wanted to focus on music, going to LA, and becoming a DJ. But my Dad wanted me to come to college, first. Aca-fuck my life." Beca grimaced.

"If it's any comfort, I'm happy you're here." Chloe giddily comforted the pale brunette with a smile on her face, who, in turn, smiled at her. "Thanks, Beale. You know how to make this bitch feel better." Beca remarked.

"You're not a bitch." LP murmured. "Hmm? You say something, McDaniel?" Aubrey questioned. "I said, 'you're not a bitch'. It was directed toward Beca."

Beca looked at LP with dull surprise. "You're not a bitch, Beca. Don't put yourself down!" The brunette gave a small smile when she looked at him. "Thanks, McDaniel. It was mostly a joke, but I appreciate that."

She looked to Jesse and Benji. "Pass." The boys said in unison, relaxing their arms behind their heads before they looked to the only man left in the room.

"Well… I lived and went to school in LA all throughout my life. Before I came here, I lived with my Dad and sister because, as you all know, my Mom and Dad got a divorce when I was in the eleventh grade, and I actually went to two schools in my high school career. At first, I ran with a group of people for a while because they seemed nice. Then, they just kinda faded away after a while."

Beca was confused by that final statement. "Whoa, wait a minute. 'Faded away'? What do you mean?" LP pursed his lips. "Well… I mean they just left at one point. We stopped talking to one another. No big deal. And, at one point, I just decided to switch schools. That's my high school career, and me in a nutshell." He finally finished.

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "Anyone else have any questions about me?" She asked. While everybody else responded with 'no', or simply a shake of their head, Jesse pursed his lips. There was something he wanted to ask. He just wasn't sure if he should ask it.

And then, somebody asked for him. It was as if somebody had read his mind, and asked for him so he didn't need to. And that somebody was Ashley Williams.

"Um, Beca? Did you ever… y'know… date anyone in high school?" She asked. Surprisingly to Jesse, she nodded her head with ease. "Mmm hmm! One guy. His name was Jason Davis. Really nice guy, super sweet, funny, smart. I felt pretty damn awful when I dumped him."

That last bit hit Jesse like a truck. " _Oh, shit. If she dumped this guy, who sounds like the nicest guy from how she described him, what chance do I have?"_

So, he finally got up the courage to ask her a question of his own. "So. You broke up with him? Why, though? Was it something he did?" Jesse asked.

Beca slowly shook her head. "No. No, that wasn't it at all! It really wasn't him, it was… ugh, it was more like something with me." She remarked.

Chloe's eyes rose, as did Aubrey's, LP's, and Jesse's. "What do you mean?" LP questioned. Beca bit her lip. It was a little too obvious that she felt somewhat uncomfortable talking about this topic.

"Well… when I was dating Jason, I really tried to convince myself that I loved him. That we were a perfect couple. But that wasn't it at all. Far from it, actually. The problem was that, at a certain point, I realized that I didn't feel attracted to him. Or anyone, really. I never was."

The more Beca spoke, the more the point became clear. The more they all understood. "So, what you're saying is-" Aubrey started, but she didn't need to. Because Beca finished for her. "I'm asexual."

 _Author's Note: Well, that's a plot twist! Yeah, if you were wondering why this story isn't BeChloe, that's why. I had always wondered what it would be like if Beca wasn't romantically attracted to anyone, since I never really bought the relationship between her and Jesse. And, don't get me wrong, I like a good BeChloe story as much as the next guy, but I also wanted to do something original and unique with a Pitch Perfect story and the characters, and, trust me, we're gonna get more of that in later chapters. Next chapter, we're gonna get some more rehearsals, more interactions between the characters, just more, more, more! I'm so excited for what is to come! I hope you all are, too! To the Guest, I'm glad you loved Chapter 12, but I'm sad that you'll no longer be able to ship LP and Beca! :( Still, I hope you stick with me! And I always plan on keeping up the good work! Anywho, thank you all for reading! As always, please leave a review giving your thoughts on the story, my writing, anything! And, as it has always been, take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, readying himself for his play!_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: _More Problems_

Beca twiddled her thumbs as she listened to music on her Walkman. The smooth sounds of a Beatles song rang in her ear as she bobbed her head to its rhythmic charms.

Everyone else? Doing something else entirely. At the moment, Aubrey was asleep, Jesse was up in the bathroom, LP was in the kitchen getting a drink of water, Chloe and Tom went upstairs for a 'talk' (code for a make-out session), Benji was impressing Lilly, Ashley, and CR with a magic trick, Amy was writing something down on a piece of paper, God knows what, and Jessica and Stacie were talking amongst themselves.

" _Look at 'em. All of 'em. The second you revealed you were asexual, the room went dead silent. Everyone went off to do their own things. You took what was meant to be bonding time, and make it awkward. Brilliant work, Mitchell."_

She sighed, tapping her temple twice on the head. " _All this thinking and socializing has me wanting one thing: a milkshake. I need a milkshake."_

As Beca thought about how much she wanted a milkshake, Stacie and Jessica walked over to her, taking a seat on each side of her. "Am I about to interrogated, officers?"

Jessica rolled her eyes at the joke, and said, "No, but we need your help." As if on cue, Beca put her hand to her ear, tapping it. "I'm listening."

Stacie bit her lip. "Okay. So, we know that you know that Jesse likes you, right?" Beca slowly, and awkwardly, nodded her head. "And you also know that we also know that the only reason he's in the bathroom is to clear his head, right?" Jessica asked a question of her own. "Yep, yep, yep."

"And you also don't think that Aubrey's little 'joke' earlier was entirely-", Stacie started interrogating again, only for Beca to stop her there. "I'm gonna stop you there, chief. Because I know where you're going with this. And no, I will not help you interrogate Jesse and Chloe about this stupid love-triangle you think there is."

"Oh, come on! You have to realize it! There is something going on here! Lots of somethings! And not just with you! With everyone! Shouldn't we try to know?" Jessica questioned, to Beca's annoyance.

The brunette shrugged her shoulders, and kicked back her feet, resting her arms behind her head and relaxing her brow. "Whatever. You do what you want. I'll have no part in it. Oh, and while you're at it, will one of you make me a milkshake? I think there's ice cream here. Don't ask me how, I just know those kinds of things."

Her mouth wide open, but the words failing to escape her, Stacie groaned, as she and the blonde hesitantly got off the couch. Then, they took a seat back where they previously were, and immediately started gabbing. "Okay. First of all, I'm all in favor of trying to figure things out. I mean, we've been talking about it for ages, and if there's a time to do that, it's now."

Jessica nodded her head. "Agreed. Let's at least try to get to the bottom of things. But first, let's figure out who we're dealing with. Time to do some digging!"

* * *

Water splashed Jesse Swanson's face. He cupped it in his hands multiple times beforehand, and rubbed it over himself each time. This had to have been somewhere around the eighth time Jesse had done it.

Shame. Shame was what he felt. Shame that he had most likely made Beca feel uncomfortable, or creeped out by him. " _Goddamit. Why couldn't I have seen the signs? Why was I so stupid? I let my crush on a girl get in the way of actually making an attempt to see the truth."_

Jesse breathed heavily through gritted teeth. He was frustrated. Not with Beca, nor with LP, but with himself. And on LP, he was even more ashamed to have felt jealous of his friend for something that was never there in the first place.

He rubbed his eyes. He made sure not to get any water in them, because they'd probably make his eyes feel sensitive. They always were. Ever since he was a kid, Jesse had sensitive eyes. No wonder his Mother was so adamant about letting him start taking contacts.

After a while, and much time spent pacing the bathroom on the second floor of Casa Bella, Jesse breathed in. " _Stop moping around, and try to make things better. Besides, just having Beca as a friend could be good enough. Always look on the bright side, Jesse. Always try to look on the bright side."_

* * *

Downstairs, LP was grabbing a drink of water in the kitchen. The others were in the living room, chatting amongst themselves about life at Barden, plans for Christmas break, and even about some of the things they did in high school.

Gripping the cup in his hand, LP brought the edge of the top to his lips, and drank. He gulped it down with ease. " _Terrified of water, but can drink copious amounts of it in a cup. The ironies never escape me."_

The boy still didn't have his hat on his head, and had only now realized that he left it in the living room… with everybody to play around with it… " _Shit."_

His thoughts would have gone on longer, but were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. It buzzed in his back pocket, because it was on vibrate.

LP promptly set the cup of water down, and quickly pulled his phone out. It was his Father calling. "Oh, brother." He groaned, before hesitantly answering.

"McDaniel's Pool Hall. Eight Ball, speaking. Sorry, your son can't come to the phone right now. He's asleep, and would probably be wondering what on God's Earth you're doing up." LP answered.

"Ha." The low voice of Thomas McDaniel snorted over the phone. "Sorry for trying to make you laugh." The younger McDaniel retorted, snorting in a similar fashion.

"Well, you didn't. Listen, Lee…" Thomas started, only for LP to stop him. "I thought we agreed that you don't get to call me 'Lee'. I prefer 'LP', thank you very much."

Thomas groaned as he sat in his comfy chair at the house. "I didn't call you to pick a fight. I called you to tell you that I'm barely making ends meet, meaning I can't pay for a flight back for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, even Saint Patrick's Day."

LP's eyes widened, and his heart sank. "You mean… you still haven't landed a steady job, yet?" He asked, in a near-whisper. On the other end, Thomas sighed. "Look… I'm trying, okay? For you. For you, and for June."

The raven-haired teen gasped at the sound of his sister's name. "June. June… how is she?" He asked, half-excited and half-scared for what his Father's answer would be. "June is… she's fine. She's doing good in school. And she misses you."

LP made a noise that was somewhere between a small breath and laughter. "Well, there's no surprise. I just don't want to know how she'll take it when you tell her I won't be back for a while."

"Actually, I already told her. And she took it just fine." Thomas spoke. And LP was stunned. June was… fine? With him not being back in LA for the holidays? With him being away longer? When he left for college, she broke down. Now… nothing?

"Um… wow. You told her, already? That's… I didn't think you'd do that. When'd she find out?" He asked. "Yesterday." Thomas bluntly remarked.

"Huh. So… what are you gonna do now, Dad?" LP asked yet another question. "Ah… I don't know, LP. But I will find another job. I promise you that. Because I know I owe it to you."

LP shook his head. "No, Dad. You don't owe it to me. You owe it to her. Do it for June."

Thomas sighed. From the sound of his voice, he was tired. And LP noticed. "I will, son. I promise. Um… how's college going?" The older man asked. "It's fine. I like my classes. My favorite class is Film, no surprise there. And I've even made a few friends."

"Good. That's good. What're their names? How'd you meet 'em?" He questioned. LP breathed out, chuckling softly. "Oof! Well… where to start? Oh! First, there's Jesse and Benji. They're my roommates, and they love a lot of the same things I love. Y'know? Movies, Star Wars, nerd stuff."

Thomas himself laughed. "Of course your roommates would like the same things you like." LP shook his head, smiling a toothy grin. "Who else? Um… oh! Beca. Beca is the best. She's funny, she's smart, she's brave… she's what Mom and you hope June grows up to be."

There was a small silence there for a few moments. LP had forgotten that they hadn't really discussed Margaret since the divorce. It wasn't that Thomas was angry or bitter. He simply refused to acknowledge it, like a cut on his shoulder from a tree branch.

"That's great. Anyone else?" The older man asked. For a moment, LP was unsure as to whether or not he wanted to tell his Father about the Bellas. He wasn't sure what his Father would think, or how he'd react to his son being the only boy in an acapella group solely designed for girls.

"Um… yeah. Plenty of people." LP replied, choosing not to mention the single most important reason why he had a bunch of girls for friends. Hell, he didn't even mention that fact.

"'Plenty of people', huh? Wasn't that the same thing you told me on your first day of Senior year?" Thomas sarcastically prodded. "Ha ha. No, this time I actually have made a good deal of friends." The younger McDaniel explained, take a seat at the kitchen table and resting his head on his hand.

"Well, what are their names? How'd you meet 'em?" Still prodding. LP take his ear away from the phone, and groaned under his breath. Then, putting the phone back to his ear, he said, "Well… there's Chloe. She's… she's…"

He was lost for words. Why did they come to him so easily back at the diner when he said them directly to her, but not now? "She's what? Your girlfriend?" Thomas asked.

"What?! No! Chloe's not my girlfriend! She's in a relationship with another guy! She's just… just a friend." LP nervously attempted to explain, as Thomas chuckled. "I had a feeling you'd say that. Now, keep going. I want to know more about her."

LP bit his lip. " _Oh, geez. What the Hell can I say that won't make it sound like I'm interested in her? And, more importantly, what can I say without stuttering like an idiot?"_

After taking a few small moments to compose himself, LP breathed out, and opened his mouth. "Well… she's a senior. She loves music. And singing, definitely loves singing. And she damn well may be the nicest person I've met at this crazy college."

LP couldn't see it, but his Father was smiling. A real, warm smile. One that neither his children nor his wife had seen very often, especially in recent years, but when he did, it had the power to lift their spirits, as if on the snap of a finger.

"That's… that's all I could have hoped for, son. She sounds amazing. Is she pretty?" He asked. LP smiled his own signature smile. "Yeah… she's… Chloe's beautiful, Dad. On the inside and outside."

"You should tell her that." Thomas suggested, making the teen do a double take. "What? No. No, I can't do that! That'd be just… awkward. I mean, she's in a relationship, and-"

"I'm going to stop you there. You know why? Because I thought the exact same thing when I… when I met your Mom at her job. I thought that I couldn't go up to her and say 'you're beautiful', right to her face. And I couldn't. So I didn't. Instead, I got to know her. I got up the courage to talk to her, learn about her, and then, I told her that she was beautiful. Life is about taking risks, Lee. And I hope you remember that."

LP nodded his head. "That actually is good advice… I just wish I could tell her that. And you're missing the point: the… friendship that Chloe and I have is different from what you and Mom had. We're just friends. That's all we'll ever be."

Thomas made a sound somewhere along the lines of 'hrmm', and said, "Keep telling yourself that. I'll call you later, son." And then, he hung up.

LP sighed, resting the palm of his head in the palm of his hand. " _I don't have a thing for Chloe. I never have. She's just a good friend. That's all."_

Unbeknownst to him, someone had been standing outside the kitchen for quite some time. She stepped in, not trying to have her steps make too much noise.

"So, how's tricks?" A voice behind him asked. LP jumped in his seat, and turned around to face whomever was speaking to him. When he saw who it was, he shook his head. "You shouldn't sneak up on me like that, Stacie. And please, please tell me you didn't hear all of that."

Stacie shrugged her shoulders, and took a seat next to him at the table. "I heard some of it. Mostly just the stuff about Chloe. And here I was, wondering if you really were crushing on her, like Aubrey said."

LP made a face that very well should have said "really", and looked at Stacie. "You're gonna take Aubrey's judgement for it?" He asked. The girl rolled her eyes, sensing his sarcasm. "No, I'm just thinking what everybody's thinking."

Eyebrows widened, LP looked at her with uncertainty in the blue of his eyes. "What everybody's thinking? You mean others think that I like Chloe?" He nervously asked.

Stacie nodded her head, smirking as she did so. "We all think so. Me, Amy, CR, Jess, Ash vs. Evil Dead, Hell, even Lily thinks you like her! Sorry, bud. But ever since our crazy blonde captain suggested it, we've been thinking long and hard about it."

"What does Beca think?" LP questioned. "She said, and I quote, 'I don't give a shit who he mingles with, just so long as he wears protection." Stacie said, in her best impression of the moody brunette.

"Well, there's a pleasant thought. And that definitely sounds like Beca." He sarcastically remarked. "Why do you say that? I mean, it's not bad to feel that way about another person, even if they are in a relationship. Hell, I don't mind the idea of you two getting together! Just don't tell Aubrey, please? For me?"

He raised his hand in the air, and spoke in an imitation of Arnold Schwarzenegger. "I solemnly swear not to tell Aubrey that you ship me and a twenty-one year old woman in a relationship."

Chuckling, Stacie looked at the boy intently. "Not to pry, but… do you have-" She started, only for LP to stop her mid-sentence. "Feelings? For Chloe? Thanks, but no. I think I'm good to go."

Stacie shrugged. "Okay. Cool. Just… just wanted to know. At least now we can all put that theory to bed." LP bobbed his head from left to right. "Yup."

For a few moments, there was silence. The two sat at the table, not talking at all. Then…

"You do know that, if you do have feelings, or ever have feelings for anybody, not just Chloe, in the future, you can tell me, right?"

* * *

Jesse groaned. He sat on the seat of the toilet, his head in his hands. " _So much for trying to look on the bright side. Ugh._ _Fuck… fuck… fuck! Why can't I just… go back down there… and deal with this maturely?"_ He mentally asked himself.

"Deep breaths, Swanson. In… and out. In… and out. Okay. Now, get off the toilet." He got off the toilet. "Go over to the door." He walked over to the door. "And get your ass back downstairs."

Reaching out to twist the knob of the door, he opened it only to find a pleasant surprise. "Oh! Um, hi-" He began, only for the pleasant surprise to unexpectedly, and rather bluntly, grab him.

And then, said pleasant surprise pushed him back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

"Um… it's Jessie, right?" The confused ex-Treble asked. "Jessica, doofus." The blonde corrected. "Oh. Well… hi. I… um… I like your beanie. It suits you."

For a few moments, the two did nothing but stare at each other. Neither had any idea of what to say, especially considering the fact that both of them were in close distance of each other in a bathroom, making the awkwardness level in the room amped to eleven, thus making it hard for both to come up with things to say.

"Okay. First things first: I get it. Having someone you crush on turn out to be completely unavailable. I've seen it happen before." Jessica explained, much to Jesse's ever-growing confusion.

"Ashley told me." She stated, in a matter-of-fact tone. "Ah. That explains it." Jesse sarcastically remarked. "Yeah. And she also told me that LP likes Beca too, and vice versa. This was before we learned about her little secret, and even then, I called bullshit."

Jesse raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" He questioned. "Mmm hmm. See, me and a few other Bellas, have a theory. We've been brainstorming ever since we laughed our asses off at Aubrey's suggestion that LP has a… a toner for Chloe. Blech, that came out sounding a lot weirder than I thought."

For a moment, Jesse looked at her like she was crazy. " _She's crazy. There's no way in Hell that they like each other. Wait… could they? Maybe… Do they? Was Aubrey right? Is this totally-not-crazy chick who dragged me back into the bathroom right? AM I GOING CRAZY?! What the fuck's going on?!"_

"Um… dude, you do realize that you're making really weird faces right now, right? Jessica questioned, giving him a really weird look. And Jesse realized that he was. He had been making what he called 'the Han Solo from ROTJ look', where one begins to think deeply about recent, and often times weird, news. Only he had been doing it without thinking. At all.

"Um… sorry. Force of habit."

The blonde rolled her eyes, ignoring his comment. "Look, the point is that you and I and the others are all thinking the same thing, but none of us are for sure about it. So, what do you think?"

"Me? Why are you asking me? Why don't you go bug Beca, or Chloe, or even the man himself? I'm pretty sure they'd have more answers than me."

An exasperated Jessica groaned. "We tried to talk to Beca about it, but she told us, and I quote, 'I don't give a shit who he mingles with, just so long as he uses protection'." Jesse scrunched up his face, and nodded his head. "Yep. That sounds like Beca."

"And do you really think we'd directly ask Chloe about this stuff?" She questioned, a slight smirk on her face. Jesse rolled his eyes, and shook his head. "No, I do not. What about LP? Did you prod him, too?"

Jessica nodded her head. "Not me, Stacie. She's down there right now, interrogating him." Jesse nodded his own head. "Uh-huh. Now, time for a few questions of my own: why'd they send you? They could've sent anyone, like Amy or CR, but they sent you. Why?"

The girl looked a bit hurt by this. Jesse could tell just by the way she pursed her lips, she was obviously hurt. "Oh, shit! I'm sorry… I, uh… I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything like that…"

Jessica sighed, and took a seat on the toilet herself. "No, it's… it's fine. It's just… God, I feel like nobody…"

Jesse looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "Nobody what?" He asked, to which the blonde looked up at him with a sadness in her eyes. "Everybody wants to talk to them."

" _Okay, now I'm even more confused. Everybody talks to them? What the Hell does that mean?"_ The confused boy thought to himself.

He stood before her now, kneeling down to keep eye contact. "What? What do you mean by that?" She bit her lip in response. It was clear from her expression that this would be hard for her to explain.

"Ugh… it's complicated." She quietly said under her breath. "Well, fortunately for you, this night is already full of complicated shit. So, let's talk about it!"

* * *

"So… who were you talking to? Your Dad?" Stacie asked. "Seriously, does nobody at this school have any privacy? I was talking to somebody. End of story." LP remarked, his head resting on his arms.

Stacie rolled her eyes. "No, that's not the end of the story. There's more, and you and I both know it. So stop bullshitting." LP turned his head to face sideways. "I'm not bullshitting."

She quickly walked over to where he was facing. "Then why don't you want to talk about this?" Stacie interrogated. "Why do you want to talk about it? What do you care, anyway?"

Stacie looked a bit hurt at that last statement. " _Wow. Seems like I'm asking him about something a little too personal. Should I disengage, or… no. Keep going. I need answers, and I'm interested."_

"I care because you're my friend. You were literally the one guy at auditions who didn't come up to talk to me just to say 'hey, nice boobs', or 'we can hook up whenever you want', or 'every route works for me, how about you'. So, yeah, I look at you with some respect for being one of the only fucking decent and non-horny men in this cuckoo's nest. So, could you tell me what you're trying to hide?"

LP was taken aback by what Stacie had just told him. He never really took notice of how most guys did just go up to Stacie to flirt with or hit on her. And the more he thought about it, the more it disgusted him.

"Oh, jeez. I'm sorry, Stace. That must be fucking horrible." He consoled, sitting up straight. The black-haired girl sighed. "I wouldn't mind all the attention if people actually made an effort to know me. But no. Most guys just take one look at me, and they think I'm nothing more than a walking vagina."

LP looked at her with sympathy. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to have so much attention from the opposite gender, but for it to be nothing but cat-calls and faux flirtatiousness. "All these guys want is to get into my pants. And it makes me feel disgusting."

Tears streamed softly down her face. She didn't care that someone was in the same room as her when she did it. She didn't care that when she cried, it ruined her makeup. All she cared about, in that very moment, was venting.

Then, the raven-haired boy put his hand on her shoulder. She took her head out of her hands, and looked at him. "I'm so sorry, Stace. That… that must be awful."

The dark-haired girl wiped a tear from her eye. "Yeah. It sucks. But, hey. You know what? I guess those guys do, too." LP laughed a little, a small smile forming on both his and Stacie's faces.

* * *

"Where do I start?" Jessica asked. "Wherever you feel like you should, but I'd suggest telling me more about what you said just a second ago about nobody talking to you. What do you mean by that?"

She exhaled, allowing her shoulders to droop. "Well… you've seen the other Bellas. All of 'em get other people's attention easily. There's something interesting about them. They're sociable. They have no problem with this kind of stuff. Me? I have a hard enough time striking a conversation with my best friend. I don't catch others' attention like Beca, Chloe, Aubrey, Amy, and Stacie do. Most of the time, Aubrey doesn't instruct me on what to do. I'm just… there. I'm nothing."

Jesse listened intently, looking with unwavering sympathy at the girl. "You… you're not nothing. Don't even think like that!" Jessica looked up at the boy. "How can you say that when you didn't even remember my name?"

" _Oh, shit. She has a point. I didn't remember her name. Stupid! Goddammit! Uh… crap! What do I do?!"_ He exasperatedly thought to himself.

"Well… maybe you just need someone to talk to." He suggested. "Who? Beca? Not interested. Chloe? Not interested. And, like I said, even Ashley, my best friend, feels awkward around me."

" _Ashley… feels awkward around her? The girl I talked to earlier tonight? Well, shit. Better get to the bottom of that."_

Taking a seat on the edge of the bathtub, Jesse exhaled heavily, and looked into the girl's eyes. She removed her beanie from her head, and rubbed her forehead with one free hand.

"Well… how about me?" Jesse asked, a warm grin on his face. Jessica set the hat down on the top of the sink, an unsure look on her own face.

"You? The guy who I only know for being an ex-Treble with a massive toner for our asexual, smartass DJ? Sure, why not?" She sarcastically remarked. "Oh, ha ha. Look, I can help you! But I can only help you if you talk to me."

Jessica looked down at the ground, her lips pursed once more. "Let me help you. Help me help you! Help me… help you." The boy exasperatedly pleaded. Then, the blonde looked at him, a smirk on her face, and said, "Well, now I can't resist your offer, can I?"

* * *

LP looked at his fellow Bella, and saw something in her eyes. Warmth. Gone were the tears she had shed beforehand, for they had been replaced with a bright glow.

He sighed. "Okay. I guess… I guess I can tell you." Upon hearing those words, Stacie looked at him with wide eyes. "Tell me about your phone call? Oh, God. LP, you don't need to-"

"I'm gonna stop you there. Because I do need to. If you're going to be honest with me, I might as well be honest with you. And the truth is… my Dad hasn't really found a job that he's able to keep down, yet. Meaning not enough money for him. And also meaning no money to pay for a flight back to LA. That's the truth."

Stacie tilted her head as she looked at the boy. "Oh, LP. I'm sorry. That must really suck." LP shook his head. "It's fine. I'm more sorry for my sister, in all honesty. Before I left, I promised her I'd be back. Well, looks like that's gonna take a while before it actually happens."

Sighing, he looked away for a brief moment, only to look back at the girl, sadness ever present in his eyes. "Well… we could always think about spending the holidays here."

LP's eyes widened at the suggestion. "No. No, we can't do that. It'd be selfish of me to ask you all to spend the holidays here, when you all have the opportunity to do what I can't. And I can't ask you all to stay here. I won't do that."

Stacie looked at him, concern easy to read just by the expression on her face. "Are you sure?" In response, LP flashed a small, sad smile, and bobbed his head up and down. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine. Thank you, Stacie."

Then, the two looked at each other once more, and found themselves unsure of what to do. "So… what now?" He asked, almost to no one. The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "Want to go back into the living room?"

"... Okay. But first... I'm gonna make a milkshake for Beca."

* * *

"So… I noticed tonight that you looked pretty sad when talking about your time in prison-er, I mean high school. Why was that?" Jesse prodded, as he paced the bathtub back and forth for what had to have been the fifteenth time.

Jessica exhaled. "Well… I was hoping you wouldn't want to know about that. Because, well… it's a bit complicated." Jesse shrugged, and smiled. "Like I said, everything has been complicated ever since I came to this loony bin. Give me all ya got!"

She laughed at his eagerness and enthusiasm. "Well… it all started last year. Back in high school. I was at a party with Ashley and a few other friends. Most of them drank. A lot. Some got high, and some choked down a few pot brownies, but most of them just got wasted. Especially Ashley."

Jessica took a moment to pause. She looked at the intently watching Jesse, who nodded his head in response, a look of concern on his face, most likely for Ashley.

"She drank so damn much, Jesse. It was actually kind of scary. And, at a certain point, I knew she couldn't stay. So I dragged her out. I got her into my car, and drove her back to my home. The whole time, she was rambling, yelling at me for not letting her have any fun, telling me I should have let her stay at the party. I tried to ignore her. I… I really did."

She took a moment to catch her breath, a nervous feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

"When we got back to my house, I let her sleep there, and put a call in to her parents, told them that Ash was staying the night. Then, the next morning, I woke up to her… sleeping next to me. In my bed. She wasn't there before, and when I asked her what she was doing next to me… she kissed me."

Jesse blinked, clearly taken off-guard by this revelation. "She… kissed you? Romantically? On the lips? A full-on Notebook-style kiss?" She ignored his inevitable movie reference, and nodded her head.

"Yeah. That kind of kiss. It was about twelve seconds before I pushed away. I looked at her, and I asked her why she did what she did. And she just… she looked me right in the eye, and said to me, 'I love you'. For a few seconds, I didn't know what to say. So, I asked her what she said, to see if I wasn't crazy. And she said, loud and clear, 'I. Love. You.'"

Jesse's mouth hung wide open. "Wow… so, that's what Ashley was talking about on the bus! And why you two were acting weird when we were talking about high school!"

Now, it was Jessica's turn to be the confused one, as she looked at the boy with obvious cluelessness. "Wait, what was Ashley doing talking to you about on the bus?"

Jesse gritted his teeth, and made a sound that signified something along the lines of, 'yikes, I made a whoopsie daisy'. "Yikes… I made a whoopsie daisy. She just said that she understood what it's like, to have a crush… who doesn't like you back."

The blonde did a double take at that point. Her look of confusion had been replaced with one of confusion. "She… she said that? She was talking about me?"

Jesse slowly nodded his head, an aching feeling in his stomach growing ever-so intensely. "Yeah… at first, I didn't know who she was talking about, and I didn't think about it much. But now… it all makes sense."

Jessica nodded her head. "Oh, God. Oh, God. I. Am. Such. A. Bitch. I'm a bitch that deserves what's been happening to me. I don't deserve to-"

" _Okay, I've heard enough. This girl clearly needs two things: advice, and a hug. I can provide the former, but can I provide the latter? Eh, I'll stick to the former."_

Then, Jesse stepped out of the tub, and reached out his hand to the girl, who looked up at him with uncertainty. "Take my hand." He requested, a smile on his face.

Not knowing what else to do, Jessica clenched the outstretched hand, which gently pulled her off of the toilet. The blonde giggled. "Thanks, Jesse. You're not too bad for a guy that Aubrey doesn't seem to like."

Jesse, being taller, looked at Jessica with a smirk on his face. "Wow. That's what you're really gonna say right when I'm trying to make you feel better? Speaking of which, talk to your friend! And try talking to the other Bellas tonight the same way you talked to me. Life is about taking risks. And it can't be that hard, right?"

She grinned at him, and took her hand from his grasp. Then, Jessica grabbed the grey hat which she had left on the sink, and placed it on top of her head. "Not a bad suggestion, Mr. Swanson. Not a bad suggestion at all. Now, let's get back downstairs, shall we?"

* * *

Beca took a sip from the milkshake Stacie made her. The cold, frothy taste of vanilla ice cream sunk its way down her throat. "Damn. This is one good milkshake. Stacie, why don't you own a shake shop? That'd make a good career!"

She smiled at the brunette's compliment. "Thanks, Mitchell. I'll keep it in mind. Hopefully, I get married to someone who will be okay with me selling ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top every day for a living."

As Stacie took another sip of her shake, Jessica and Jesse walked down the steps and into the living room. "Hey, guys." The girl said as she hopped onto a chair next to Barden's resident Male Bella.

"Hey, Jess. Cool hat, by the way." LP complimented. "Why, thank you!" Jessica said, her appreciation all too obvious. As she got comfortable in her seat, she looked at Ashley, laughing at Benji's magic trick.

Her comfortability turned to uncomfortability. " _God… does she really think I don't love her? At all?"_ The girl in the beanie frowned, as she looked at the person who was supposed to be her best friend with sadness in her eyes.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, for Jessica, Jesse Swanson noticed the girl's uncomfortability, and sat next to her. "You look like you could use a friend." He said, a smile on his face. She responded in kind with her own smile.

"Wow. You got over Beca pretty fast, huh?" Amy quipped, as both Jesse and Jessica, not to mention Beca, went completely red in the face. "Wow. I'm trying to be social, and that's your response?" Jesse asked, rubbing his hand nervously down the back of his head.

"He's not rebounding or anything like that, Amy! He's just… being a friend." Jessica tried to explain to the Australian, who rolled her eyes in response.

"Whatever. I'm just saying what everybody's thinking." Amy said, before yawning, and rolling over on the floor, drifting off into a heavy sleep.

"I'm gonna go to bed, too. CR, Lilly, you with me?" Stacie asked, as the two in question nodded their heads. "I'll join you. I need my beauty sleep." Benji joked, as the four climbed the stairs to the second floor. "Goodnight, guys!" LP called out to them. "Goodnight, Mr. Bella!" CR jokingly replied.

Ashley got off of the seat she was sitting on, and prepared to follow the others. But before she could make it to the bottom step, she was stopped by Jessica. "Wait… Ash, I need to talk to you."

The other girl's eyebrows rose to her forehead. "Um… sure. What about?" The girl in the beanie frowned, sighing before speaking. "Will you follow me outside? I want to talk in private."

* * *

LP sat on the window sill, right in the middle of two of his best friends. He felt uncomfortable being in between the two of them, especially after all that had gone on that night. Everything that had been discussed, everything that they would have to think about the next morning, and keep in mind for every day after.

"So… when are we recording next? Are there any days that your boss isn't okay with us coming in and using the soundbooth?" LP asked, attempting to start a conversation. "Um… no, any day works, just so long as we don't play our stuff on the radio." Beca said, picking the cherry out of her milkshake.

"Now that's got me thinking…" Jesse murmured, his hands cupping his mouth. "About what?" The brunette questioned. "What if we asked Luke if we could play our stuff on the campus radio? It could be a good way to get more attention!" Jesse explained, barely containing his excitement.

"Now there's an idea! We ask your boss if he's okay with us doing this, and we get more people noticing us! This could be a big break for us!" LP excitedly said. "That's actually not a horrible idea. I could talk to Luke about it, see what he thinks."

Jesse looked a bit confused upon Beca's last comment. "Wait, why can't I talk to him?" He questioned. "Because he likes me more than you. He's even said that to my face." Beca admitted, prompting laughter from LP.

"Well, now I have another person that I can add to the personal list of people I hate." Jesse joked, a faux-angry expression on his face. Beca and LP chuckled, before the latter got off the couch, stretching his arms and yawning.

"Well, I'm gonna crash in one of the empty rooms upstairs. You guys gonna go to sleep, soon?" LP asked. Then, the DJ and the film buff looked at one another, trying their best not to stare, but… they were staring.

"We'll uh… we'll be upstairs in a minute, bud. Get some rest!" Jesse called out to the raven-haired boy, who smiled and nodded his head, yawning. Then, he continued up the steps.

* * *

Once they were out the front door, Jessica stopped on the edge of the sidewalk. Her heart rate was faster than it had been in quite some time, and her legs wobbled. " _Damn… keep it together, Smith. You've got this. You've got this, motherfucker."_

"So, you brought me out here. You wanted to talk, Jess. So, I'll bite. What's up?"

The blonde clicked her heels, turning to look at her friend. "I… I'm sorry, Ash. For what happened last year." In response, Ashley had her mouth hang open, as she shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Wow, Jessica. Only now are you gonna bring that up? After we both agreed to put it behind us?" Ashley asked, the bitterness in her voice being all-too recognizable.

Jessica bit her lip. "We didn't agree to anything! Look, I know you still feel uncomfortable around me, but at least try to hear me out, here! I'm trying to say that I'm sorry!" Ashley shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Stop pretending that there's nothing, absolutely nothing, going on right now! Stop pretending that you haven't been actively avoiding talking to me, even going so far as to not want to share a room with me!"

Ashley opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. So, Jessica continued. "At practice, you talk to everybody else. And every time we do try to talk to one another, it doesn't even last long! We don't even talk to each other about how we're doing, how our classes are, anything!"

The blood in Ashley's body boiled. She was frustrated, irritated, by her best friend. "Goddammit… what the fuck do you expect me to do, Jessica?! Pretend that I don't give a shit?! Pretend that everything is fine?! Pretend that I'm not hurt?! Pretend that I don't still love you?! Huh?! Is that what you want?!"

The girl in the beanie was taken aback by her friend's brutal honesty. And as for Ashley? Tears, real solid tears, stung at her eyes. To avoid showing the blonde this… anger. One that she hadn't shown in years. "If you really think that I don't give a shit, you're wrong. You're more than wrong. Because I do. And you think it's easy for me? To push you away from me? To actively try to avoid the one person who I think will ever understand me? DO YOU?!"

* * *

Once both Beca and Jesse heard a door close, they stared at one another. "Okay… first of all, I am so sorry if, and this is a big if, I ever made you uncomfortable." Jesse exasperatedly made an attempt to apologize to the girl, who shook her head.

"It's fine, Jesse. I… I should have told you and the others, sooner. It's just as much my fault, mostly my fault, if nothing else." She sympathetically looked at the boy.

"Yeah, but… but… I could have done something better. Anything. I screwed up." He admitted. Beca looked at Jesse, confusion ever evident in her expression. "How? How did you screw up?"

Jesse breathed out. He shook his head, and did so until he was ready to admit what he knew he should have admitted ages ago. "I… I thought you liked LP. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but some part of me thought that you both were starting to… y'know… dig each other. And… I'm sorry. If you don't want to hang out with me or Benji anymore, if you want to quit working at the radio station, if you just want me to leave you alone, I will."

And then, he got up. He walked away, looking back only for a moment at the girl he used to have feelings for. Jesse saw her, her mouth hanging open. It was clear to him that Beca wanted to say something. But, unfortunately, she could not find the right words.

With that, Jesse opened the front door, and walked outside. And once more, Beca was left alone, and she found herself clutching a nearby pillow. "Once again, I am alone. Lovely…"

* * *

When Jesse walked onto the porch, out into the cold night air, he sighed as he took a seat on the steps, resting his head in his hand. " _You deserve to be alone. You don't deserve to hang out with Beca, or LP, or Benji, or any of those girls in there. You…"_

"Fuck it! I'm leaving. I'll… I'll see you at practice." A loud, angry voice yelled, calling Jesse's attention away from his self-loathing. He took his head out of his hands, and looked up to see Jessica and Ashley, the latter walking away from the former.

"Ash… Ash! ASHLEY!" Jessica yelled, pacing behind Ashley, who looked at the blonde angrily. "Get the fuck away from me!" She exclaimed, finally getting away from Jessica.

"Ash… Ash…" The broken Jessica silently repeated, as she dropped to her knees. She breathed. Heavy, fast breaths. And then, she cried. For the first time in years, Jessica cried.

She wept for everything. For her friend, for herself, for everything that she could count in her life that was wrong. And as she sobbed, Jessica failed to realize Jesse Swanson, slowly walking towards her.

It wasn't until he put his hand on her shoulder that she noticed him. But when he did, Jessica yelled, "DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!"

"Jessica! Jess! It's me!" Jesse exclaimed. Then, the blonde turned her tear-stained face to see who it was with their hand on her.

"I… I…" Jesse stuttered, but he needn't say anything else. For at that moment, the girl stood up, and buried her head in his chest. Heavy tears rolled down her face as she wept, wrapping her arms around the boy, who, in turn, wrapped his arms around her, and as the first snow of the winter grasped them, keeping them in its embrace.

 _Author's Note: I know I promised more practices, but... at the same time, I really wanted to flesh out more of the characters with this chapter! I promise that the next few chapters will focus more on LP, Chloe, Beca, Aubrey, and Jesse, and have more practices which, as we all know, are extremely entertaining, and get_ _to see more of the little band that the four weirdos, being Misters McDaniel, Swanson, and Applebaum, and Ms. Mitchell in their pursuits of achieving success with their music group! ZRyder, I'm glad you're getting the hang of my intentions! And who said I'm going to bring LP and Chloe together? I didn't! Always remember, I have a trick or two up my sleeve! Also, LP and Aubrey? Hmm... interesting. Feel free to talk to me about it more, if you wish! Skull726, I'm glad you like Tom! I didn't want to make him an asshole, because that'd be way too easy! I feel like it'd be more realistic and more surprising if Tom was a decent guy, and he didn't hate LP! Glad you loved the last chapter! And to The Phenomenal Flair, thank you for reviewing all the chapters! I'm glad you love the story, and I'm really glad you're sticking with me! Anywho, thank you all for reading! If you have any comments on the story or on my writing, please share them in the review section. And, as always, do take care, and I'll see you next time! Until then, I am the Flying Hawaiian 001, always dreaming up new ideas!_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen: _Secrets_

FEBRUARY

A light snow pattered the edge of the house, the front porch, and the windows. Cold was uncommon to Barden, but for some reason, this year it was especially strong.

It was a Friday. A slightly cold Friday. One full of melting snow and slush, but not enough to block out the sun, which shined bright through the window of Chloe's room. And as Chloe woke up in her soft, warm bed at her home in Georgia, just a few hours away from Barden, her eyes blinked awake.

And the first thing she saw was her nude, sleeping lover. He lay on his side, his arms stretched out near her face. Gently, she took his right hand, and pressed it to her cheek. The feeling was warm, heated. It felt like the room they slept in. She hated having to leave that feeling behind.

Chloe plopped onto her back. Her bottom lip felt the gnaw of her lower row of teeth as images of the night prior flew through her mind.

It was a spectacle. A circus act. Spontaneous, beautiful, crazy, everything she could have wanted. To Chloe, it was magic performed right in front of her.

But it didn't feel perfect. To reflect on it was to analyze it fully. And thinking back to it, there was something she had felt in the act: emptiness. Almost as if the act of sex had lost all meaning. It was as if the spectacle had lost its power.

She groaned while getting out of bed. Normally, Chloe would be getting up later. But, fortunately for her, classes had been cancelled for the day. Unfortunately for her, she had a doctor's appointment in thirty minutes.

But not just any doctor's appointment. An appointment that would determine if the treatment she'd been receiving for her 'nodes' was working at all. The appointment that would decide if she needed her nodules removed.

As she stood up, she felt a pain in her throat. If this was before she learned about her condition, she would have been terrified. Now? She ignored it. Or did her best to ignore it.

Yawning, she slipped on some clothes from within her closet. "What to wear for the day?" Chloe asked herself, a slight click of her tongue at the end of the sentence.

She decided on a turquoise V-neck, and a pair of jeans. "Might as well dress comfortably…" Chloe muttered, so as to not wake Tom, who slept peacefully in her bed.

Sighing, Chloe exited her room, and carefully tiptoed down the hall, and down the stairs, so as to not wake Aubrey. " _Walking through the downstairs area will be a piece of cake."_

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the ginger found herself walking along the road to the local clinic, her body wrapped in a warm coat given to her by her Father last Christmas, Chloe became lost in her thoughts.

" _One month has passed. I thought that, by now, I'd at least know what I want. What I want when it comes to Tom. But I don't. Every time I go to sleep, especially on nights when I sleep with him… the same faceless guy appears in my dreams, asking that same damn question: 'is this what you want?'"_

Before she knew it, the ginger-haired girl was standing right before the clinic. Its door was closed shut, not surprising considering the weather. " _It's fucking cold out here… what am I waiting for? I should go in, right?"_

Chloe outstretched her hand to the knob of the door, and opened it. "Chloe! Good to see you, hon. I've been expecting you! You can walk right in!" The friendly receptionist, a young woman with pink hair, chirped to the redhead, who walked through the door.

"Thanks!" Chloe said, smiling her trademark smile at the receptionist as she walked down another hallway to her left. When she found herself at the door of the office of Doctor Carson,she politely knocked on the sides so as to get his attention.

"Chloe! Good to see you, dear." The middle aged doctor kindly spoke as he spun around in his chair to look at her. "Good to see you too, Doc. I'm just here for my checkup."

Carson's eyes widened a little. "That was today?" He mumbled, keeping eye contact with Chloe, who nodded her head. "Oh, dear. Forgive me, it must have slipped my mind. Well, take a seat, won't you?"

She nodded her head, sitting down on the small cot in the office. "Okay, let's see how you're doing today, shall we?" Carson stood up in his chair, walking over to grab his equipment.

Chloe relaxed in the seat as she waited for the doc to work his magic. Then, Carson walked over to where the redhead sat, holding the tools necessary for Chloe's checkup.

"Open wide." He ordered. She did as she was told, as the good doctor put the stick he took from his tool kit into her mouth. "Okay, keep it open. I'm gonna just check the back and throat."

As he poked and gently prodded around her throat, Chloe couldn't help but feel a certain level of uneasiness as he did so. She knew it was necessary, and she did want results.

But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable. " _Takes me back to when I was a kid. Back to when I hated checkups and doctor's appointments and trips to the dentist. God, those big needles scared the shit out of me."_

Finally, Carson pulled the stick from out of her mouth, and set it on a little tray next to him. "Okay, that takes care of one thing. Now, let's take a look inside with a flashlight, shall we? We need a few pictures before we can determined anything."

Chloe nodded her head. "Sure." She responded, ready to comply. Then, the Doc grabbed a flashlight with a tiny camera attached to it, and walked back over to her. "Can you open wide, again?" He politely asked, to which Chloe opened her mouth once more, and the Doctor gently put the device in.

" _Don't worry… you're okay, you're okay. You're gonna make it through whatever the Hell this is. You've got this."_

* * *

It was 9:20 P.M. LP sat in a half-formed circle. Among him was Beca, Lilly, Stacie, Amy, CR, and Jessica. As per usual, his black beanie was pulled far over his hair, and his headphones were on at near full blast.

But even without being able to hear anything outside of what was playing in his ears, LP had to only look to see that nobody was speaking. Not a single person opened their mouth to talk, cough, or sneeze.

He twiddled his thumbs in his lap. He was bored. They all were. And all the while, he was questioning why Aubrey wanted them to meet before their second performance of the year. It wasn't like they hadn't been planning and practicing since November.

The problem was that, ever since the slumber party, things had been rather inconsistent in terms of rehearsals. Some days, everybody showed up. Others, half the people would. Heck, LP could recall that nobody showed up, on one or two occasions.

LP'S POV

Okay… let's recap, shall we?

We should start off by stating the obvious: this is boring. Aubrey literally called us all for a meeting yesterday evening via text, and she's twenty minutes late. Chloe's off doing God-knows-what, and hasn't responded to my text that I sent her ten minutes ago. And I don't know where the Hell Ashley is.

It's at the point that the song I'm listening to stops. And before the next one can play, I pause it. Then, I look up from my phone after what has to have been five songs.

I get a good look at them. All of them. I start with Lilly. Ever since Benji's little magic show, she's been hanging out with him more. Heck, last week, I found them both finishing a Lego set that Benji's Mom got him for his birthday. I guess the magic man finally has someone to spend time with outside of Jesse and I.

I swing my head over to CR. She doesn't talk to me, much. Then again, I haven't exactly put in the effort to really talk to anyone outside of a few people here.

I look at Stacie. She's… tough to read. Ever since the sleepover, it's almost like she's trying to get closer to me. In this case, I actually do understand why. I do feel bad for her, though. Nobody should be looked at in only a sexual manner. It's shallow, petty, and really has to fucking stop. That goes for everybody. That, and I really don't mind her company. She's actually smart and nice, so that puts her at an advantage in my book.

Then, I look at Jessica. So, maybe telling her and Ashley apart wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Whether it's a blessing or a curse, I won't tell. All I can say is that, for some reason, the both of them miss a fair share of rehearsals. I don't know where the Hell they go, but then again, that's none of my business.

I look at Amy. Still not sure what to really make of her. I can't ever get a clear read on her.

And now I'm looking smack dab at Beca. One of the only people I've met here who seems legitimately normal. One of the only people I think I actually have a grasp on understanding. She looks just as bored as me. But, unlike the others, there's something sad in her eyes.

Since that sleepover, the band has been meeting more. We've been writing songs, recording music, and trying to get our feet off the ground. But we still haven't had much success in convincing Luke to let us play any of our music on the radio. Oh, well. We'll get there someday. I know we will.

But it also feels like nothing is the same as it used to be. Like I said, Benji's been hanging out with Lilly more, Jesse is doing whatever he can to go off on his own whenever Beca is in the same vicinity, and Beca's been doing mostly the same.

As for me? I've been everywhere. I've been all around the campus, keeping to myself for the most part. It's what I do best. Or at least it used to be.

Nowadays, I can't walk around without thinking back to what Stacie told me. That all the girls think I'm in love with Chloe. Short answer: I'm not. And I don't need to convince anyone, let anyone myself, of it. I gave up on relationships long ago, and I'm not going back.

But then there's the moments where I doubt myself. Where I think that yeah, maybe I do like her. Maybe more than I'd like to admit. And sometimes, there's that faint hope she likes me back. It all goes away when I remember two things: one, I'm not taking any chances. Two, Chloe's dating someone who's A) not a piece of shit, and B) seems more up her alley than me. Case closed.

I check my phone, again. 9:25, this time. Only 565 minutes into the day. 565 minutes have bone by. That means that both Aubrey and Chloe are late by 25 minutes, and we've been stuck here, bored for 25 minutes.

"Okay, how long are we gonna be here, for?" Stacie asks. I exhale, relieved that someone finally broke the silence. "Well, we've been here 25 minutes. How much longer do you think we can sit before we all go spastic?" I ask them all. I'm joking, of course.

3RD PERSON POV

"We've been here 25 minutes, and nobody has showed up? This is weird, even by our standards. Especially considering how much of a perfectionist our Senior Drill Instructor is." CR added in.

"I agree. This is so tiring." Stacie groaned, her head slumping on the back of her chair. "Never would I have thought that the idea of getting to perform in front of a bunch of strangers would sound more appealing than just practicing, but, here we are." Jessica sarcastically remarked before she pulled the gray beanie off her head, and slicked her hair back.

"Speak for yourself, flat-butt. I don't wanna practice any more than you do, but at least I can admit that it sounds better than just setting ourselves up for failure by singing crappy old love songs." Amy retorted, as Jessica self-consciously slunk back into her chair.

"Well, I for one don't wanna sit with my thumbs planted firmly up my ass much longer. I say we get up, and we practice without Aubrey or Chloe." Beca suggested.

As the others nodded and murmured in ascent, LP looked over at Lilly, who had remained silent the entire time. He wondered how she generally ignored the others, or held the will to not talk much, or at all.

"But, wait. We're forgetting one crucial detail: the songs we're singing put people to sleep. You could damn well call us the Lullaby Crew at this point, and it'd be fitting." Stacie said, before Beca rolled her eyes.

"Don't fucking remind me. Seriously, why the Hell does Aubrey actually think we're gonna win with these songs?" Beca remarked before rubbing her hands over her face.

As the other Bellas continued to express their annoyance with their leader, LP sat completely still in his chair. He wanted to say something, but at the moment, he couldn't seem to find the right words to say.

Instead, he cupped his mouth with the palms of both his left and right hands. He was thinking. Staring off into the distance, as far as his eyes could see. At that moment, all he wanted, more than anything in the world, was an idea.

But he was lost for words. Whether it was the pressure of having to perform, the fact that literally everyone in the room was unsure of what to do, or simply being tapped out for words or ideas, all he could do was think.

Something, anything, as long as it brought them all together. Or at least whoever was there. With or without Aubrey and Chloe, LP knew that they would look like fools no matter what if they stuck to the exact plan their Captain had laid out for them.

" _Wait a minute… that's it. If we don't stick to the script, if we break the chain, we could maybe save the performance from being completely dreadful. It's not like anyone here is musically inept or bad at singing! We just need a change of pace! Not to mention some good music."_ The McDaniel boy thought to himself.

Then, without much thought and a whole lotta impulse, LP got off the chair he sat on, and stood tall upon it. Almost instantly, he got the attention of the Bellas.

"I have an idea." He said. "Is it gonna get us in trouble?" Beca asked in response, to which LP nodded his head, a small, nervous smile on his face.

"Here's an idea: we suggest to Aubrey that we want to change the set. We're all Bellas, here. We have a right to speak our minds. And we have a right to have a say in this little group. We go right up to her, and we do what we wanna do? What do you all think?" LP finished.

Almost immediately, all the hands of the people that were in the same room went up. Not sure who to call on first, LP pointed at Beca, whose hand was raised slightly lower than the others.

Lowering her hand, Beca remarked. "Okay. This plan of yours. I think it's great except for the fact that it sucks, so why don't I improve on it a little?"

Shaking his head, LP gritted his teeth at the brunette. If anything, he admired her honesty. "Wow. Great constructive criticism. All jokes aside, what did you have in mind?" He questioned, sitting back down.

"First of all, thank you for sitting back down. You looked ridiculous. Second of all, here's my idea: we just go for it. We don't ask anybody for permission to do anything. We sing what comes to mind, and roll with it."

Beca then put her hands in her pockets, waiting for responses to her plan. And the first person to raise their hand was Stacie. "Give it to me, Conrad." Beca commanded.

"I like your ideas. Both of them. But for what I think we should do? I'm with Beca. This is worth the risk. Let's just fucking do this." Stacie said, as she earned nods of agreement from everyone in the half-formed circle.

"I say we go with Beca's idea. No offense McDaniel, but I think we all know that Aubrey's gonna say 'no'. So what's the point of asking? I say we play by our rules." CR added in. "None taken. I like Beca's plan more, too." LP admitted.

Beca bobbed turned her head to her left. "Lilly, Amy? You guys up for it?" Lilly responded with a simple nod of her head, and Amy answered with, "Hell, yeah! This is our time, and our choice! Let's do this shit!"

Chuckling, LP turned his head to the only member left in the room. His beanie wearing female counterpart, who was looking sullenly at the ground. "Jessica?" He called out, to which the girl in question lifted her head to look at him.

"Hmm? Oh, me? Um… well, I'm with you all on this one. It's about damn time we had a say in this. Let's roll with it. Come up with some songs, and get ready to at least boost our performance a little. Count me in." Jessica said with a small smile on her face.

Sighing happily, Beca looked around her. "Then it's settled. The seven of us are gonna do whatever we can to make this as good as possible."

As the seven of them smiled courageously, a new voice was added into the fold. "Make that eight."

Visibly alarmed, they all turned their heads to see whom it was that was speaking to them. And when they all looked, they saw a face they had thought they wouldn't be seeing that day, or anytime soon.

Ashley breathed heavily, walking into the middle of the half-circle, and looking around at the crew. "If you guys are really up for this, then I'm with you till the end of the line. Consider me in." She said, a smile on her face as she took a seat next to LP.

She looked to the girl she called her best friend. In her eyes, she saw surprise. And all Ashley could do was give a knowing wink of her eye.

"Then let's do it. The eight of us. Tonight, we show those assholes in the crowd what we're made of!" LP pumped his fist in the air, to which the girls responded with cheers of 'YEAH', or 'LET'S DO THIS'.

"Tonight, we run the show!" LP continued, earning cheers once more. "The eight of us! Let's kick some ass!" Beca added. "YEAH!"

* * *

CHLOE'S POV

I'm pretty much fucked, honestly. Yeah, I'd be more quaint, but honestly, there's no other word I can use to describe my situation. I'm fucked. F-U-C-K-E-D.

Y'see, Doctor Carson examined me, and gave me a diagnosis: my nodes have gotten so bad, that the only option I have left is getting surgery.

Great. Just… just great. As if this year couldn't get any worse, it just got a thousand and one times worse.

I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go. I don't know who to talk to. I just don't know, anymore. Oh, God. Please, help me! Please, send me some kind of signal that things will get better, that I'll actually find some good through this pile of garbage that has landed in my lap.

Okay… calm down, Beale. Calm your pits. Remember the breathing exercise Daddy taught you. Breathe in… and breathe out. Breathe in… and breath out. Breathe in… and breathe out.

Okay… now, assess the situation. Think of who you can talk to. There has to be someone, right? Anyone. Let's see… Tom? No, busy. Aubrey? Maybe. Beca? She's an option, but I don't think she'll really understand.

I'm just walking past the diner, when, for a second, I stop, and look through the glass window. I'm looking at a booth. It's empty, but it seems so familiar. Like I can remember something happening. I can't put my finger on it, but I remember being alone, and then…

Oh, my God. Of course. It was where LP and I really got to know each other for the first time. Where I was alone, and by some coincidence, he showed up walking through the door listening to that song from 'Back to the Future'.

He was wearing those sunglasses inside, and still had that damn beanie on his head. And he sat with me. Without hesitation, he sat across from me. He talked to me. And all of a sudden, I wasn't alone anymore.

That's who I'll talk to. The one guy who I think actually gets me. For some reason, I don't know how and I don't know why, but LP McDaniel is the one person I think I can talk to freely about this.

*Bzzz…*

Damn. I got too wrapped up in my thoughts to realize that my phone was buzzing. I grabbed it out of my back pocket, and answered as quickly as I could. "Hello?"

"Hey. I'm running late to practice. I accidentally overslept, and I'm scrambling to get there on time and get ready for the day. If you get there before me, please go over things with them. I don't want things to screw up, tonight. I want it to be-"

I already know what she's gonna say before she even finishes that sentence, so I finish it for her. "I know. It'll be pitch perfect. Trust me, Bree. I've got this."

She breathed out. "Phew! That's a relief. Good luck, Chlo. Bye." And then, she hung up. She didn't even ask me what I'd been up to that morning. Whatever. I've come to expect it from her at this point. I blow out my hair into the wind, and make my way to the auditorium.

* * *

LP'S POV

The plan has been set. We're all ready. We all know the score, and we all know what we're gonna do. I keep trying to tell myself that what we're doing is the right way to go. That we're doing the right thing.

But at the same time, I feel like we're all sabotaging Aubrey. Well, technically, we are, but at the same time, I feel like I'm doing wrong by Chloe, of all people.

I mean, I get going behind Aubrey's back. But do we really have to go behind Chloe's back, too? If anybody has a right to know, it's her. But even Beca won't have it. 'No exceptions', she says.

If that's the way we're gonna play, then so be it.

Either way, we know what we have to do, now. So at least we're all ready.

I'm finishing writing down the list of songs that we're considering using for the plan. This list consists of the following: 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac, 'Starman' by David Bowie, and 'Twist and Shout' by the Beatles. Why yes, those were my suggestions.

Everyone else is scattered. They're practicing their parts, singing the songs we've suggested, engraving the lyrics into their memories, always keeping them in mind.

I'm so distracted and wrapped up in what I'm doing, it's no wonder I get a little surprised when my phone buzzes through my headphones.

I pull it out of my pocket, and look to see who it is that's texted me. Much to my delight, it's Chloe of all people. The message asks, 'Meet me outside of auditorium?'

I look up at the other girls. They're all looking in the opposite direction. They're all looking away from me. Perfect.

I don't think they'll mind if I leave for a few minutes. I text back a quick 'sure', and get up off my ass. Then, I turn to leave. Okay, so far, so good. Nobody's noticed.

Almost out the door. Just gotta get it open…

"Where are you going?" A voice calls out from behind me. I freeze, praying that no one else is paying attention. Then, I turn around, and see Stacie standing there, her arms crossed.

Shit. What do I tell her? Do I bullshit? Or do I just tell the truth? Eh… the devil on my shoulder is telling me to do the former, the angel on my other shoulder is telling me to do the latter. I'll stick with the latter. "Chloe's out there. She said she wanted to talk to me." I answer honestly.

"Oh, okay. Make sure she doesn't find out. Have a good talk." Stace says to me, her lips slightly pursed. "Um… thanks." I respond, before turning to leave. But as soon as my hand reaches for the door, Stacie stops me.

I've found myself in many an uncomfortable situation since coming here. Funny enough, coming face to face with her is not one of them. "Before you go… I just wanted to say that…"

She pauses. I'm not sure what she wants to say, but with how close our faces are right now, I get a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. "W-What is it?" Oh, Jesus. I'm stuttering. And I hate stuttering.

She laughs a little. "I just wanted to say thank you for trying to get us through this. If it were up to me, I'd happily have you be in charge of us crazies." Stace admits, her hand on mine.

I smile back, and tell her, "My pleasure. I'll be back." And just like that, I'm off once more. Duty calls.

* * *

Beca sat in the seat formerly occupied by LP. She looked through the list of songs, as he had earlier. "All oldies. No new stuff. You suck, McDaniel. You're awesome, but you suck."

As she scanned through the songs suggested by the others, herself included, Beca failed to notice CR taking the empty seat next to her. "Hey, Mitchell."

Beca looked up at the other girl. "Hey, dude. What's up?" She asked, her tone friendly but clearly not looking for much of a conversation. "Not much. Just wanted to see the songs we've got lined up for tonight." CR admitted.

The brunette rolled her eyes, and passed the list over. CR grabbed the clipboard, and examined the choices. "Mmm… all of these are pretty good, honestly. I can't think of one I'd be against using."

Beca gave a small smile in kind. "Thanks. I was hoping to do a mix of old and new. I like all the choices, and personally would prefer something a little newer, but I'm also open to some good oldies."

CR nodded her head in understanding. "I get that. You guys have good taste. Let's use that to kick ass, tonight." She said, as she got up to walk back over to Amy and Lilly.

Beca momentarily hesitated to call after her. She had one question. Just one. But she wasn't sure if she should ask the question she had in mind.

" _Fuck it."_ She thought to herself. "Hey, CR!" She called out, to which CR turned back around. "Yeah?" She asked.

"I wanted to ask you a question. Could you come talk with me about it?" Beca requested, trying her hardest not to sound desperate. Fortunately for her, CR shrugged her shoulders, and walked back over to sit next to the pale-skinned DJ.

"What is it?" She asked as she took her seat once more. For a moment or two, Beca was unsure of what to say. Actually, she knew exactly what she wanted to say. She just wasn't sure how to word it. "Well… um… I was just wondering… wascomingouteasyforyou?"

She mentally kicked herself when she said that out loud. " _Stupid! Should have thought this through!"_ She thought to herself, as CR stared at her with a blank expression on her face.

"I'm so sorry. I just… ever since the sleepover, where I told everyone about my asexuality, I made Jesse uncomfortable. I made him feel bad for having a crush on me. And we don't talk as much as we used to, and now I just wanted to know if it was… easy for you. And now, I feel bad and-"

She was stopped by CR putting her fingers to Beca's lips. "I'm gonna stop you there, Shortie. I'm not offended. And to answer your question, no, it wasn't. For my Mom and Dad, it took them a few days to accept it. But for all my friends? My classmates? Not so much. Some of them I broke off with because they didn't understand, or actually tried to understand."

Beca looked at the other girl sympathetically. She thought she had it hard when she revealed to her old friends her lack of romantic or sexual attraction. She couldn't begin to imagine what the Hell it must have been like for CR.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have said anything." Beca shyly apologized, as CR looked at her. "Don't sweat it, Beca. If anything, I'm actually happy you asked. It's never easy to admit it to others, at first. You're always afraid they won't understand, or they'll reject you. And maybe they will. But if they don't? Try to get them to understand. And if they don't wanna understand, fuck 'em. Come talk to me if you have anything else you want to talk about." She kindly said to the DJ, before walking away.

* * *

JESSICA'S POV

"Not gonna lie: I wish we came up with this idea sooner. The only problem I have with it is that we didn't come up with it." Ashley admits to me. It's the first thing she's said to me in months that hasn't been, y'know, just a few words. She's actually trying to talk to me.

I'm sitting next to the person who's supposed to be my best friend. I say supposed to be because, with no word of a lie, we haven't talked to one another since November.

Oh, there've been a few 'hi's' or 'hey's' here and there, but nothing concrete. Nothing worth remembering.

"So… how've you been keeping." I start. I'm awful at these kinds of things. Striking up conversations, trying to talk to people for extended periods of time. It's just always been kinda hard for me. It's actually kind of amazing considering the amount of parties I went to back in the day.

Ash doesn't seem to mind, though. "I'm alright. Haven't really been up to much lately, though." She tells me. "Sounds boring." I offer up a half-sarcastic answer, which actually does manage to make her laugh.

Being around Ashley Williams has many side effects, one of them being that her sarcasm will rub off on you. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is up for debate.

"So, you finally have a good sense of humor, eh Jess?" She's making fun of me. I can tell just by the look in her eye. "Oh, most definitely. That's what this is all about, isn't it, Ash? Making you laugh? Y'know, if someone asked me what my purpose in life is, would 'making my best friend laugh' be a suitable answer?"

And now her face goes blank at the words 'best friend'. Dammit. I've been having so much fun with her that I forgot all about the fallout. She clicks her tongue, before asking, "What have you been doing?"

I'm not entirely sure what she means. "As in?" I ask. "As in where do you run off to when you're not here? I mean, come on. Don't think I wasn't paying attention during all these boring rehearsals to other things around me."

Shit. She wants to know where I go when I'm ditching. What I do when I don't have the energy, or the patience, to deal with Aubrey's incessant rambling, or just how chaotic everything is.

I want to be honest with her. I really, really do. But the problem with that is that I'll give away what I swore secrecy to. I'm not ready for that. Not yet.

"I just go for walks. Either that, or I go to the little park around here. It's really nice over there. You should come with me, sometime." I tell her. Now, most of what I'm saying is true. The problem is that I've left out a few crucial details.

Not that she's aware of this. She nods her head, and smiles at me. "Hey, I'm sorry, by the way. For what happened back at the sleepover. I was being selfish, Jess. I realized that I've been so caught up in the past, and at the same time, I haven't really taken your feelings into consideration. I hope you can forgive me."

Wow. I've never seen Ashley like this, before. It's kind of amazing, actually. This is, without a doubt, the most honest she's been with me in months. I feel bad that I'm not entirely returning the favor.

But instead, I smile back. "I do forgive you, Ashley. You're always gonna be my friend. And I'll always love you." I will always love you, Ash. But not in the way you want.

For now, and for her, this is enough. All she can offer me is a smile. "Awesome. So, let's put that behind us, and get to practice that we actually enjoy."

* * *

3RD PERSON POV

It took him five seconds to find Chloe. All LP had to do was turn his head to the left, and there she was. Standing against the wall, not at all minding the slightly cold weather surrounding her.

"Hey." He called out to her. She turned her head to face him, and when he saw the look on her face change from one of sadness to one of small joy, he could tell, almost instantly, that something was wrong. " _Sometimes, a person can say everything while saying nothing at the same time."_

Chloe was struggling to hold the smile. "Hey." She repeated. LP then slid up against the wall, standing directly next to her. "So… did you want to talk, or is this just a trick for me to freeze my ass off out here with you?" He joked, making her laugh.

But something about the laugh sounded off. Her laugh wasn't generally so hoarse, and this time, it sounded almost like she forced herself to do it.

The expression on LP's face changed in a matter of seconds, as well. His former expression, being a grin, had changed into something more serious. "What's the matter, Red?" He asked with genuine concern in his voice.

She made no effort to hide the pain in her expression any longer. Her sad smile turned into a face that showed only anguish and frustration. Chloe closed her eyes before speaking to him.

"I had a doctor's appointment, today. I had to get a checkup for my nodes." She began. LP already knew what she was going to say. He felt he should have stopped her there, but at the same time, he knew he wasn't going to. So, he let her go on.

"The doc checked out how I'm doing to see if my situation's any better, and… I have to get surgery, McDaniel. I'm screwed." Chloe quivered, the fright becoming more and more noticable.

LP struggled to come up with a viable response. He had no words for her. No witty comebacks, no ideas on how to cheer her up. There was no squaring this one.

"I'm so fucking screwed. What if I never sing again? What if this is it for me and the Bellas? God, I can't… I fucking can't…" Chloe hyperventilated, her voice cracking.

As LP looked at her with nothing but sympathy in his eyes, and a pained expression plastered onto his own face, Chloe tried to calm herself. She crossed her arms, in an attempt to clutch them in her grasp, giving them a chance to escape that of the cold air. "I can't… I can't… I… I'm scared. And I don't know who to talk to about this. Nobody else would listen or understand… nobody but you..."

And as Chloe dug her nails into her shoulders, LP couldn't help but wonder: " _Why me?"_

He took a moment to look directly into her wide blue eyes. He tried to not notice the desperation that he saw in them. But no matter what, they were the first thing he saw.

"Why me? Of all the people here, Aubrey, Tom, Beca, everyone, why me? I mean… I'm just some guy, Chloe. I'm not your boyfriend, or your best friend, Hell, I only met you, what? Five months ago? You don't even know my real name, and still, you choose me to talk to first about this. Why?"

She looked up at him. The desperation that was there only moments earlier was instead replaced with a look of complete confusion. "Why did I choose you?"

LP nodded his head. She sighed, momentarily taking in the cold air as she did so. Then, she spoke. "I chose to tell you first because, honestly, you're the only one who I think would understand. The only one who I would feel completely comfortable talking about it with."

He bit his lower lip, a somewhat guilty sweat drenching his face while she continued to speak. "It's not that I don't like or trust any of the people you mentioned, or anyone else that I'm friends with here. But out of all the people in that group, the Bellas, my best friend, and even my boyfriend, I still think that you're the only one who I'd feel completely okay with talking to about this. So tell me: does that answer your question, Mr. McDaniel?"

"Now see, Chloe… I'm actually flattered." LP admitted, taking Chloe back quite a bit if the expression on her face was anything to go by. "If anything, I'm happy that you thought of me first when you wanted someone to talk to about this. So, I feel I should thank you for that."

And just like that, Chloe Beale's look of surprise had changed almost entirely to one of relief. Not for herself, but for what was going on. Right then, right there, something happened. She wasn't sure what it was, and neither was he, but whatever it was, in that moment, they both could swear that they were completely happy.

Both knew it wouldn't last forever. The hardest thing to learn in life is that all good things come to an end. But for now? All LP and Chloe could do was laugh. Laugh, and smile.

Tears streamed down their faces as they stood against the wall, their backs slowly sliding down on the bricks that forged the building. Then, after what seemed like forever, the two looked at each other. On both their faces, a warm smile took place.

"Can I tell you a secret?" LP asked, to which Chloe nodded her head. "You're the best friend I could have ever wished for." He sheepishly admitted, before going completely red in the face.

"Thanks, LP. You're not too bad yourself." She said, the smile still on her face. But when she said his 'name', something about that made him feel uneasy. Like he'd rather have her call him something else. " _It's time, McDaniel."_

Taking a deep breath out, his head turned toward the ground, he spoke, as clearly as he could, "Lee."

As if on the drop of a dime, Chloe turned her head to face him. "What?" She asked. "That's my real name, Red. Lee Patrick 'LP' McDaniel. Beca, Jesse, and Benji know my name already. It's about damn time you did, too."

Her eyes widened at his words. She'd never have guessed, or even thought for a second that, he'd ever actually tell her his real name. She always thought he'd keep himself shrouded in mystery for as long as she knew him. She was proven wrong. And Chloe smiled for being wrong.

"I like your name. You should call yourself that more often, honestly." Chloe smiled at him, and he smiled back, a small laugh hanging in the back of his mouth. "Can you keep my secret, too? Y'know... don't tell the others just yet? I don't wanna spring this on them."

LP nodded his head. "You got it. I won't tell a soul unless you give me permission to." He promised, his right hand over his heart. "Thank you, Lee."

For about two minutes, all the two did was sit there. They could've sat through all of practice if they wanted to, which they thought they did at points. Because in that moment, they were content.

"Ahem. Y'know, I can understand having a heart-to-heart, but if you're gonna do it, do it inside and not in the cold, McDaniel." The sarcastic, bitter tone in Aubrey's voice would've been enough to send shivers down Lee's spine, but the surprise of her presence there sealed the deal.

Lee frantically got up, in an effort to stand up straight against the wall. "Sorry, Captain. I was uh… I wasn't trying to do anything, I was just…" He stuttered, finding himself once again unable to form a coherent sentence. " _Why does that always happen?"_

"Just shut up and get inside. I expect this kind of shit from you, but not from my best friend. Now get inside, the both of you. We've got work to do." Aubrey commanded, marching inside. As Lee and Chloe followed suit, the redhead couldn't help but stare at the boy in the beanie. " _You're a good man, Lee Patrick McDaniel."_

* * *

After three long, boring hours that could only be described by most of the Bellas, sans Aubrey and Chloe, as slow and unproductive, the crew was called together for one last meeting before they departed.

"Okay, everyone. We all know the drill. We show up. We kick ass, and we show those rotten Treble bastards what we can do. More importantly, we show everyone else what we can do. So, we all know the plan, right?" Everyone nodded in response to Aubrey.

" _Oh, we all know the plan, Captain Posen. Unfortunately for you, the plan doesn't involve crappy love songs from the early 2000s."_ Beca thought to herself, smirking as she did so.

"If everyone knows the plan, wonderful. Now, the only question I have is if Beca can wipe that stupid smirk off her face." Aubrey sarcastically remarked, snapping Beca back to the present.

"Sorry, Aubrey. I was thinking about what you said. Let's kick some Treble ass, shall we?" The brunette offered up a half-hearted attempt at getting them excited.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Alright, dress appropriately, and meet us all here at the bus at 5:00. It's a slightly longer trip this time, so we're gonna need to stop for gas on the way there."

An assortment of responses escaped the lips of the Bellas, ranging from 'sure' to 'yeah' to 'got it'. One thing was for certain: eight out of the ten people there had no intention of following along with Aubrey's plan, unbeknownst to the blonde captain herself.

"Hands in the middle." She commanded, to which all of them, almost hesitantly, put their hands in the middle. Once more, they tried to pull off perfect harmony, but it didn't pan out. At all. Yeah, 'nuff said, kids.

As they all left, Lee couldn't help but look back at Chloe as she and Aubrey began putting things away. A half-formed smile appeared on his face at first, only to be replaced by an expression that only showed guilt and slight regret. " _Glad to know you think that highly of me, Red. I seriously hope that what we do tonight doesn't make you hate me."_ He thought to himself before making his way towards the exit.

But he was completely unaware that, as he walked away, Aubrey stared at him with something resembling anger in her eyes. She glared at the boy as he plugged his headphones into his phone. _"I don't know what the Hell it is about you that's making my best friend act weird, but whatever it is, it's gonna fucking stop. And I won't let you get in the way of that, McDaniel."_

* * *

Jesse sat in his dorm room, lounging about on the bed he slept in. A small bowl of popcorn was held in one hand, and his left hand was left completely free so as to grab the pieces of popcorn and pop them into his mouth.

He was watching "Braveheart" for the first time since he was fifteen years old. It was around the hour mark that his phone buzzed in his pocket. Just as William Wallace was about to slaughter the bastards that killed his lover, he groaned, and paused the movie. Jesse then pulled his phone out of his pocket. He clearly wasn't very interested in whoever it was that was texting him on his day off.

But that changed almost instantaneously when he saw who the text was from. "Beca."

 _"Jesse... I know you feel uncomfortable around me. I know you feel bad because you thought I liked LP and not you, and I know you've actively been avoiding me every time you, me, LP, and Benji all have meetings at the radio station. But I just want to tell you that I'm not mad. I'm not upset at all. I've been thinking a lot, lately. About you. About how I still want to be friends with you. You're a cool guy, Jesse Swanson. And I wouldn't want anything to come between you and me being coworkers, band members, or friends."_

After reading it, Jesse chuckled at the awkwardness of the text. It was Beca being honest, through and through. And he was happy to see that she held no ill will against him. So, he simply texted back "OK".

But before he could set his phone down and get back to his movie, his phone buzzed once more, this time in his hand. Jesse flipped it over to see who was texting him. His eyes widened as he read through what had been sent.

 _"I'm not gonna be gone all of spring break. I'm leaving for home for two days. Then, I'm coming back. So, since you're coming back halfway through, would you ever be interested in hanging out? Just the two of us, like the last few times?"_

Without thinking twice, he responded back almost immediately.

 _"I'm in."_

 _Author's Note: It's Britney, bitch. I'm back, and happy to present a new chapter of the story that I consider my personal best work! You're looking at the first of many chapters to come involving this crazy crew and their wild antics! Be prepared for the next chapter though, I'm planning on it being heartbreaking. This time around, it seems like most of the characters have secrets! Will all of them be answered? What do you think? Anyhow, thank you to all that reviewed! ZRyder, I'd be interested in writing that dynamic, but I don't think it'd make much sense for either LP or Aubrey. They seem too different from one another to be compatible. I do love the endless possibilities, though! To the Phenomenal Flair, thank you for reviewing again! I loved writing Chapter 14, and I love giving these characters more depth and development! AGoodUsername, thanks, I guess? Glad you liked it. MNM, I've seen you poking around my friend DarthBatman11's comment section, too. What's the meaning of these weird comments? To Queen Savage, thank you! I wrote LP with a bit of an edge to him, because I thought it'd make for an interesting character! Also, 9.5/10?! That's pretty generous! Thanks! And for as much as I deviate from the source material, I do like to also expand on aspects of the original! Anyhow, thank you all for reading! Please leave a review giving me your thoughts and opinions on the chapter or ways that I can improve my writing. And remember, as always, stay safe out there until I see you next time! Until then, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, going to sleep in an hour!_

 _P.S, I am debating giving this story a sequel. I've thought a lot about it, and have plenty of details and ground to cover with it. Just say the word, and I'll get to snapping on it as soon as I finish this one!_


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: _Far Away_

LOS ANGELES, 9:30 A.M.

The house was quiet. Actually, it had become unusually quiet the past few months. It came across as such an oddity to the neighbors, taking the past into account.

On the second floor, in the room that formerly belonged to Lee Patrick McDaniel, June McDaniel slept. The bed may have been stripped every now and then by her so that she could sleep on the mattress, but the room itself was kept almost exactly the same as when her brother left.

She lay on top of the bed, resting quietly, her head nestled against the pillow closest to the window. June liked sleeping there most, and for two reasons. One, it was closest to the window, meaning that the sun could easily shine in her face to wake her up in the morning. Two, it was where LP always slept, and for her, it gave her the feeling that, in a way, he was there.

And speaking of the sunrise, the sun in the morning sky shined in June's face through the window overlooking the neighborhood, and not ten seconds later, her eyes fluttered open. She hadn't realized how bright the light would be, but when it hit, June almost immediately got out of bed. She stretched and yawned, before walking to the door.

June twisted the knob. She was half-awake, but still conscious enough to be able to remind herself to be quiet as she carefully closed the door, and tiptoed down the hallway as Thomas slept.

At the same time, the young girl couldn't help but notice that her stomach was a little more than upset. She wasn't hungry. Far from it, actually. June clutched her belly, nearly groaning in pain, but preventing herself from doing so.

Instead, she kept going, as quickly and as quietly as she could, before eventually reaching the tip of the stairs.

" _I'm sick. And LP isn't here to help me, or call school, which I'm already late for. Great. Focus, June. Remember what LP told you to do if you got sick. Wait, what did he tell me to do? Think, think… oh, right! Stay upstairs, and wake up Daddy."_

June's eyes widened upon remembering the last detail. Waking up her Father was never a good idea. Everyone knew that, but especially her Mother.

Thomas was not a morning person, and when he was somewhat decent during the mornings, it was only because he had some coffee in him. So, waking up her Father was not only a bad idea, it was a downright terrible idea.

" _Well, now what? I don't know my school's phone number, and I don't know what to do besides waking up Daddy. Who else could help me? Mrs. Robbins? No, she's usually working on Friday's."_

June gritted her teeth, as her stomach further ached. She felt like vomiting. The urge to do so was too strong. So, she bolted down the stairs, before running to the main floor's bathroom, rushing past various photos of their family in the hall, and standing over the toilet.

"Okay… just like Mom taught you." She mumbled to herself, before putting her head close to the bowl. She waited, dreading the moment that she knew was coming, and was completely unavoidable.

Then, after thirty or so seconds, a horrible, soft substance escaped from her throat, and made its way into the toilet bowl. It didn't stop there. More of the putrid stuff made its way around her throat. June gagged, and sighed before putting her face close to the toilet bowl once more, and letting loose.

" _Okay. Okay, easy… it's done."_ She thought to herself, before standing up, and facing down to get a good look at the vomit. It was as disgusting and vile as she envisioned it would be. Actually, it was worse.

What made it worse wasn't the sight of it, nor the spicy feeling it left in her throat and mouth. No, it was the smell. It was a wonder she didn't gag again, since the stink was so putrid it nearly made her feel the need to do so.

June ignored it, flushed the toilet, and turned the right handle on the sink. Water poured from the faucet, and splashed in a circular motion.

She cupped her hands, allowing the cold water to fall into her grasp before June splashed it on her face. Shuddering, she quickly grabbed the face towel, and dried herself with it.

After making sure her face was dry, June wrapped the towel on the rack that she took it from, and walked out of the bathroom. She still felt disgusted, and knew that she most likely shouldn't have to go to school on that day.

"What do I do?" She wondered, as she flopped onto the couch, sighing while she grabbed the TV remote.

But as she did, she noticed something sitting on the table. A phone. Eyeing it, she wondered for a moment if now was the right time to call him. To ask him what to do. She figured he could be busy. Then again, what better time to call him than when she's sick?

So, June grabbed the phone, and dialed in his number. "I hope he picks up. I wonder what LP is up to."

* * *

ATLANTA

LP'S POV

I wanna start by stating the obvious: I am a bad person, and do not deserve friends.

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but, at the same time, it's true. Why do I say this? Because I just lied to the girl that I, in my own words, called "the best friend I could have ever wished for'. Even when I'm being honest, I don't tell the truth.

Shame. Shame is all that I can feel as the wheels of the bus spin along the road to our next performance. It's in the pit of my stomach as I sit across from her. As I look at her, her headphones going off in her ears.

Why am I sitting across from her? Why couldn't I just have denied her that one request? Good God, I'm a sleaze. I should've said 'no'. But here I am.

Every few seconds, she takes a look up from her iPod to stare into my eyes. Every few seconds, the world loses color, and all I can really see anymore is black white.

No, I haven't gone color blind, but for some reason, whenever I'm looking at her, all I can see in color are her eyes. Her big, soft, blue eyes, gleaming in the world that's lost all sense of Technicolor. For a world in black and white, a little color isn't a bad thing.

I want to say something. Move over to where she sits, and tell her what we're planning on doing. Spill my guts as if I took a knife to my stomach and carved it open. Look her in the eye, and just say what I'm thinking. I want to look directly at her, and tell her, "I'm sorry, but I'm an asshole, and you shouldn't waste your time with me because of what I'm about to do."

Oh, God. She's looking up at me again. Staring at me. Giving me that same damned smile. Fuck… for a few moments, I'm not even paying attention to anything else other than her. I just look back at her, and offer up my own smile, while she remains blissfully unaware.

Then, the unexpected happens. For the first time in ages, I'm getting a phone call. Hardly anyone ever really bothers to call me, so this is a surprise.

I take my phone out of my pocket, and look to see who it is. The contact reads 'Home'. My eyes widen. "June."

I don't need to think twice about answering. I do it in a heartbeat. I slide the answer key to the right, and put the phone to my ear. "Hey, Junie!" I talk into the phone, a little too enthusiastically.

At first, there's no answer. That's weird, she usually greets me first. And if not, she's quick to correct that. This has me worried. Is she okay? Did something happen? Did someone hurt her? What if someone's in the house right now, hurting her? Oh, God. Please don't let that be the case…

"Hey, LP." She finally speaks. My heart returns to its natural beat. And to think I was really worried for a second there.

"Oh, thank Christ. How's everything? Are you okay?" I'm trying to stay calm, but I'm not doing so hot in my attempts to hide the fact that I was, and still am, pretty nervous.

"I'm sick." She says, about as bluntly and forcefully as you could ask from a person making that statement. My stomach turns a little bit. I was always worried that a day like this would come, where she'd get sick, and I wasn't there to take care of her, or call in the school for her. I just hoped that day wouldn't come any time soon.

"Oh, crap. I'm sorry, baby girl. Is there anything I can do to help?" I pinch the bridge of my nose after saying that out loud, and really thinking about it. 'Sure, June! Let me help you, even though I'm over 2000 fucking miles from you'.

She coughs. It's not too audible, but I can hear it. Whenever June coughs, it's not as loud as somebody else's coughing. It's smaller, more subtle, almost.

"Sure. Daddy isn't up yet. Can you call the school?" The poor kid requests. "Sure I can. I still have it saved in my phone. And now that I'm a legal adult, I can call you in sick."

On the other line, I can hear her coughing some more. It's awful to hear. I can't help but feel even more guilt than I did before. Like this is my fault somehow, even though I know I can't control her getting sick or her not getting sick. But at the same time, I feel like I should be home.

"Thanks, LP. I can try to wake him up, if you want…" June suggests. Oh, God. No. That's a horrible idea. Waking up Dad would piss him off no matter who it was waking him up. You could have the Queen of England wake him up, and he'd chase her away.

"No. No, kiddo. I'll just call your school. You get back into bed and get some rest, okay? If at any point you wake up, be sure to make yourself some toast, and take the money from where we hid it in my room out, then buy yourself a Sprite. It'll make you feel better."

She giggles a little on the other end. "Okay. Thanks, LP! I love you!" June says to me, back to her normal, cheerful self, but with a slight hoarseness in her voice. Still, those last words put a smile to my face. "I love you too, June."

And then, she hangs up. And once I take the phone from my ears, I look around to find all of the Bellas looking at me. All of 'em. Eyes set dead on me.

I'm confused. "What?" I ask them all, and none of them answer. "What?" I ask again, a little harsher this time.

Only Stacie raises her hand. "Who was that?" She asks. Oh, boy. I groan, knowing exactly the kind of response I'm gonna get. "That was my little sister. She's sick."

And right then and there, I get the response I expected: a collection of 'aww' and 'so sweet', from mostly everyone. Even Aubrey is 'awwing' me. It feels so weird when people have this kind of reaction. It's just me looking out for June.

"That's really sweet, LP!" Chloe muses, and I'm trying to resist the urge to go completely red in the face. "It's nothing. I'm just making sure my little sister is okay."

Ashley looks at me, and says, "You seem like you'd make a pretty good Dad, McDaniel." I don't know how to feel about that. Generally speaking, the idea of me being a Father is terrifying. But right now? It's kind of a refreshing idea. "Thanks, Ash."

Stacie smirks at me, before scooting over to my side. "Question: if you get one of us pregnant somehow, can both the child and the Mom, whoever she may be, have permission to call you 'Daddy'?"

Now I'm visibly cringing. "Oh, please. God, no!" I'm not even going over the top with this one, like I did back when I saw more of Chloe than I'm used to, and met her boyfriend for the first time.

"Why not, Daddy?" Amy smugly asks from up front, her eyes still on the road. "Please, fucking stop…" I ask, about as politely as I can. "Whatever you say, Daddy." Aubrey jokes.

"Oh, come on! Please, stop! This is making me feel really uncomfortable!" I'm sinking pretty low into my seat. I didn't bring my hat with me, so I've got nothing to cover my face with except for my arms. So, I do just that. I swear, these girls will be the end of me.

With the exception of Beca, who rolls her eyes, and Jessica, who pats me on the shoulder sympathetically, the 'beautiful girls' are all laughing. Fuck me.

3RD PERSON POV

While most of the other Bellas were laughing even harder, Beca shook her head at all of them. "Guys, come on! You're torturing the poor dude!"

So, they went back to what they were doing before. Aubrey went back to twiddling her thumbs, Beca sat quietly, Chloe put her headphones back in, Amy kept focused on the road, Stacie and CR continued their game of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors', Lily began sketching in her notebook, and Ashley was reading something.

The bus came to a complete stop. Amy put the vehicle in park, leaving it next to a pumping station. Their destination for semi-finals was only 45 minutes away. The performance itself began in two hours. Enough time for them to get there.

She sighed, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. "Okay, you flat-butts. Stay put, I'm gonna deal with the gas situation. Be right back." Amy nonchalantly said with a completely straight face, before getting off the bus.

As she got off, humming a tune that everyone in the Bellas crew found unrecognizable, and Aubrey got off the bus to use the bathroom, LP turned his attention to Chloe. She was listening to music on her iPod, her headphones rooted into her ears. He looked over at Ashley, still reading her book.

Making sure that no one was around, he thought to himself, " _I should talk to her. Aubrey isn't around, and maybe I can finally get up the courage to tell her about our 'little plan'._

So, with a slight shrug of his shoulders, the boy got up from his seat, and made his way over to the redhead, quickly trying to formulate in his mind a plan of action. For LP, all details needed to be covered. What he needed to say, how to say it, and what to do if her reaction was not what he expected.

Beca took her eyes away from the boring, dreary world outside to notice her friend standing somewhat awkwardly next to Chloe. It didn't take her long to realize what was going on. " _Oh, shit…"_

LP'S POV

She's not looking up from her iPod. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I'm not too sure, myself. Whatever the case may be, it gives me an opportunity to really consider what I'm going to say, how I say it, and if it's really what I want to say, or do.

I'm standing directly next to the empty seat she's so perfectly left unoccupied. What if it's somehow reserved for me? What if I'm supposed to sit here? What if this is what I need to do?

Stop that, McDaniel. You're losing focus. Focus on what you want to say before you say anything at all. How about… "Chloe, I don't know how to tell you this, but I like you a lot. I don't know how long I've liked you for, but everybody around us, except for me I suppose, is seeing it. So, I just wanted to know if you feel the same way?"

Nah. Sounds kinda desperate. That, and I wouldn't want it to put her in a position of awkwardness. Wouldn't be fair. What about… "Red, you're a fine girl. I've fancied you for a while now, and I figured we could-", ugh, this is stupid! Why can't I come up with anything to say?!

"Hey, LP." A voice says, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look down, and see her smiling at me. Her headphones are out of her ear. She knew I was there the whole time?

"You can sit down." Chloe says with a slight laugh. God, why is that so adorable? Wait, did I really just call a woman who's older than me adorable? Wow, I just made myself cringe. Dammit, focus! FOCUS. Sit your ass down, and tell her how you feel.

I take the empty seat, and just look at her for a few moments. Damn, Red. If only you weren't staring at me with those big, blue eyes.

"So… you nervous?" She asks. Thank God she's as awkward as I am. "No, not a whole lot. It's kinda exciting, honestly. Also, remind me, who are the two people I need to keep in mind while I'm there?"

Chloe groans when I remind her. "John and Gail. They're assholes." She bluntly remarks, which takes me off guard. It's not like Chloe to sound that bitter about something, or someone in this case. "Why exactly are they assholes?" I ask. Only now am I realizing that was probably a stupid question.

"They're assholes because every time the Bellas have performed in the past, all they did was mock us. Tried their hardest to bring us down. They, along with our former captain Alice, were part of the reason why Aubrey panic-puked last year." She explains to me.

Well, shit. They must be pretty dickish if even Chloe, who is possibly the nicest person I've ever met, hates their guts. "That's pretty messed up." I tell her, and she nods her head in response. "It is. But, hey. We've been working our asses off for months. I have hope that this can finally be the time we win them over!"

I can't help but smile at her enthusiasm. She's so damned adorable, it kinda hurts. "You bet, Red. You bet." She smiles back, and I can almost feel my legs melting. If this is what Dad or my Uncle Jim felt like when they first met Mom and Aunt Rosemary, I'm amazed they even got a date.

"So, did you want to talk? You seem like you have something on your mind." Uh-oh. I got so distracted by her that I forgot what I came over to talk about. I even forgot how I wanted to tell her what we're planning.

Shit.

You idiot, she's staring. She's got her eyebrows raised. She's waiting for an answer from you, dork. Somehow, you managed to get this girl to listen to whatever nonsense you have to say, no matter how long it takes for you to spit it out. So, spit it out!

"I… I…", I can't do this. I can't, I just can't. I don't have the heart to keep two secrets, but at the same time, I don't know how she'll take it. What do I do? What am I supposed to do?

Then, I say something. Only it's not what I wanted to say. "I just wanted to let you know that you look nice." I tell her, really quickly. Her eyebrows start to rise. Fuck! I should've known this was a bad idea! Now, not only am I still keeping something from her, everybody else is gonna start to think I have a thing for her!

Wait, do I? Even I don't know, anymore.

"Um… thank you." Chloe cheerfully says. I awkwardly smile back, only to momentarily look away and think of kicking myself for this. Why didn't I realize that this was a stupid idea? God, I am such a fucking idiot.

CHLOE'S POV

Does he like me? If he does, then it's so damn obvious that he does. And if that's the case, then for the first time, I don't really know how to feel about this. I mean, I'm already dating someone that I like. Me and Tom aren't a perfect couple, but we're fine with each other.

Maybe it's just a crush. You had plenty in high school! It's kind of cute, honestly. Then again, he is three years younger than me. Does age matter? Probably not, since he's practically an adult.

I look up at him. He wants to say something. But he can't spit it out. I know, I've been there before. It's always hard when you're trying to tell someone your feelings for them. How many times have I done that? Tried to tell someone that I like them without making things too awkward?

Oh, God. I'm still looking. He looks back at me, and gives me a small smile before he looks away. Me? I'm still looking at him, studying him like how a scientist studies a subject.

Y'know, for having messy hair, an unshaven face, admittedly looking a little awkward in a suit, and without his hat, he looks handsome in the outfit Aubrey and I bought for him. We both thought he'd hate it, but he looks good. In a rugged sort of way. Unconventionally handsome, I guess.

"What was that?" He asks. I look up at him. "Hmm? I didn't say anything." I answer honestly. I don't think I said anything. "Oh. Sorry, I thought I heard you say something." LP tells me, before looking away.

I look out the window, and let out a breath of air. I didn't say anything… except that I did. I said, about as quietly as I could, "you look handsome". He does! I must've not noticed that I said it, though. Not that he noticed.

But should he know? Should I be honest? Tell him that I really did say something? What do I do?

Screw it. I'll let him know. He could use a confidence boost. So, I look pull him in my direction. He looks surprised by what I just did, and so am I. I'm generally not that strong, especially not enough to pull a guy who's taller than me to face me, but here we are.

I'm making complete eye contact with him. I don't think we've ever been quite this physically close, before. "Actually, I said that I think you look good in that suit. It looks nice on you."

3RD PERSON POV

LP's heart was racing. He wasn't expecting to hear anyone, especially Chloe, say something about his attire, but was nevertheless pleased that someone took the time to notice. "Really? I mean, it's a nice suit, but there's just one problem."

Chloe's eyebrows rose once more. "What is it?" She asked, before he pointed at himself. "I'm the one wearing it."

She was confused. "I don't understand." He shrugged his shoulders. "I mean I don't really think I look good in it. I think it's just kind of unnatural on me."

Chloe slowly nodded her head in understanding. But at the same time, she was still baffled by how he could say that. "What do you mean? I think you look handsome." Now, he possessed a small, awkward grin on his face. "What? No, I really don't!" LP attempted to sway the girl from her way of thinking, but she wouldn't have it.

"Yes, you do! You absolutely do!" Chloe exclaimed, as LP shook his head. "That's sweet, Chlo. But I do not look handsome." He said, in a tone as honest as only he could muster.

She smiled at him, and said, "My psychology teacher tells me: 'humbleness is always good, but acknowledgement of oneself's virtues is even better'. And I'm telling you Lee, you are absolutely handsome, with and without the suit."

LP's face turned bright red. He was looking down at the ground, attempting to avoid eye contact with her, because he knew that if he kept it, he'd only turn a brighter shade. Then, he looked up at her, a smile plastered on his face.

"Nobody outside of anyone in my family has ever really told me what you just told me. I never really thought I looked good in anything. But… thank you, Chloe."

For a moment, LP thought of getting out of the seat, and making his way back to his seat. But he didn't. He averted his attention back to the girl, and looked at her for what seemed like an eternity.

His eyes moved up and down her body. His mind had created a near-perfect mental picture of what she looked like. After minutes of not knowing what to say, LP finally had the words he wanted. "I know it might sound awkward coming from me, but I think you look absolutely beautiful."

This caught the attention of Chloe all too quickly. "You do?" She asked, just as stunned as he was when she told him what she thought of him. He rapidly nodded his head, a smile still on his face. "Mmm hmm. You're beautiful, Chloe. I don't think I've ever told you that before, but… I just figured you should know, and…"

LP paused as he looked at her. The smile that grew on her face disappeared, and was replaced with a look of concern. "What is it?" She asked, unsure as to what he would do or say next.

In his eyes, she saw something. She couldn't put her finger on it, but he certainly had his eyes completely on her. But what was he thinking? One thing that Chloe had learned about LP McDaniel was that he was certainly unconventional. Whether it be in his place with the Bellas or as a student at Barden University, he was unlike anyone she had met.

"I wanted to ask you a few questions, actually." LP answered honestly. Chloe relaxed her brow, slightly relieved that he didn't say anything about being attracted to her. At the same time, she was disappointed that he didn't say anything about being attracted to her.

In spite of the disappointed feeling, she put on a smile, and said, "Go ahead! Ask me anything." LP exhaled in response. "Okay. I know I could very well sound like a dick for asking this, but… does Aubrey not like me? Or Beca? Or any of us, really?"

To say that Chloe was a bit surprised by the question was an understatement. She was perplexed by that question, and showed in her facial expressions alone that she was taken aback.

"What do you mean? Of course Aubrey likes you guys." Chloe said in earnest, to which LP shook his head slightly. "Does she, though? I told you, I don't mean to sound like an asshole, but I constantly get the feeling that she doesn't trust any of us. There's just something about her and her attitude toward us that makes me think that she doesn't really like us much."

Chloe opened her mouth to react, but found herself unable to find words that would serve as a reasonable response. Her first instinct, naturally, was to defend her friend. That's what anyone else would do. In her mind, immediately saying something for Aubrey's case was the right thing to do.

But before she even remotely said anything, she took a moment to think about Aubrey's actions. Not just the way she had acted toward LP, but to every one of the Bellas they'd recruited this year.

She was never very mean to them, but she didn't treat them in the nicest way, either. She was constantly condescending towards most of them, she told CR to shut up repeatedly, she held some kind of grudge against Beca, and outside of practice, she didn't seem to interact with them much when she ran into them on campus.

But thinking back on it, Chloe realized that she was especially hostile towards him a good majority of the time. " _Does it have something to do with him being a guy? Oh, who am I kidding? Knowing Aubrey, that's probably the entire reason why she's so apprehensive. But even outside of that, there's that mean nickname she calls him, and he does have a point. She doesn't really seem to trust any of them, but especially him and Beca. And none of them deserve it."_

Finally, she had the words that she knew she wanted to say. "I think that Aubrey can be hard on you guys, but it's not because she doesn't like you guys. I think the opposite. She just has a hard time with other people, outside of me."

"I know you're friends and all, but do you ever think she's crossed the line? Because, and I think I speak for most of the Bellas when I say this, a majority of the time, it seems like she has a stick up her butt." LP answered, a slightly humorous tone in his voice. Chloe chuckled, and responded, "Well, believe it or not, there's a reason as to why that stick is up her butt."

LP put his left hand up, and shook his head. "No need. I think I have a general idea of how she got that little bastard stuck up there." He winked, and she laughed in response. "Tell me what you think happened if you're so sure of it, Dr. McDaniel."

The boy playfully put on a thoughtful expression, and completed the effect by pressing his fist to his mouth, pretending to be deep in thought. "Well… it's simple, really. In the middle of the night, the aliens that invaded South Park came here, and instead of sticking a probe up her ass, they put a stick in it."

At first, Chloe was shocked by how vulgar the joke had become. Then she remembered who LP McDaniel was, and she soon found herself laughing. She laughed so hard that tears rolled down her eyes. He couldn't help but laugh himself, not at his own joke, but mostly because she was laughing.

As they amused themselves, the two friends failed to realize that Beca was watching them intently. She watched them the way a Mother bird watched her recently hatched babies. " _Look at them. Like two peas in a pod. They look like they're having the time of their lives."_

A smile formed on her face. Beca sighed with content as she put her headphones on her head. Once they were fully covering her ears, she pulled out her Walkman. But just as she was about to press 'play', she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Letting out a groan, Beca quickly removed her headphones, and turned her head to the left, which was where the tap came from. She looked, and saw Lily sitting directly next to her, eyeing the Walkman.

The brunette noticed this, and quickly put two and two together. "Do you want to listen to it?" She asked, to which Lily nodded her head. With a slightly annoyed look on her face, Beca handed the device to her, along with the headphones.

After putting the headphones fully on top of her head, Lily pressed 'play'. As David Guetta's 'Titanium' played in her ears, loud enough for Beca to hear as she turned her attention back to Chloe and LP, she opened her mouth, and said, in a voice that was small but clear, "Thank you."

At first, Beca thought she was imagining things. The first thing she did was do a double take. She looked at the Asian girl, then away, and then back at her. She waved it off as her imagination running wild, and paid it no further attention. For another five seconds, until she heard a voice clearly ask, "Don't you just love David Guetta?"

Her head shot back to looking at Lily, and the brunette saw Lily looking directly at her, before she went back to staring at the Walkman. "You have really good taste in music."

Beca's could only sit there, mouth agape, completely in shock at was she had heard. In all her time at Barden, everyone she knew, including herself, all thought that Lily couldn't speak any higher than she usually demonstrated. Apparently, she was wrong. They were all wrong.

"You can talk?" She asked, making no effort to hide how perplexed she was. Lily nodded her head, a slight smile on her face. "Yep."

Beca turned her head forward, her mouth still hanging open. She had no idea how to react, or if she should react at all. But she knew that she couldn't help herself. "Holy shit, Lily. Goddamn…", The DJ laughed, a goofy grin spreading on her face from ear to ear.

Lily herself chuckled, the music still playing. "Fooled you, didn't I? How did I do? Not bad for the few months that we've known each other?" Beca, trying to calm herself from laughing too loudly, cleared her throat. "You were good. Really good. You had us all fooled. You still have just about everyone fooled except for me. My only question is 'why'?"

Lily's eyes moved in a way that expressed confusion. "'Why' what? Be specific, Beca." She demanded in a somewhat sarcastic tone. "Well… I… just… why? Why did you pretend to be really quiet?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't like talking much. It's not my strong suit. I figured, why not pretend I'm not very loud or chatty? I mean, being in a new location, where nobody knows who I am, helped complete the effect."

"So, you don't talk much. But you needed to talk sometimes so people wouldn't think you're mute? Either that, or you needed to talk sometimes so you didn't go crazy." Beca asked, and in response, Lily nodded her head.

"And before you ask why I decided to start talking to you just now, it's because, out of all the people here, you seem like you're the only one to have your head on straight."

Beca blinked at her question. "I have my head on straight?" Lily nodded her head. "I mean, look around you, Beca. Aubrey's a control freak, Chloe's in a hopeless relationship, Amy's an attention whore, Stacie is smart but only gets remotely noticed by dudes for her body, and Jessica, Ashley, and CR are just kinda there. They could be going through something I don't know about, but they haven't really shown it yet."

"But what about LP? Jessica and Stacie told me you think they're attracted to each other." Lily spared a quick glance at the boy, who sat next to Chloe, watching as she listened to a song from the playlist on his phone. She looked up at him, if only momentarily, to smile at the boy, who responded in kind.

Lily frowned, and looked back forlornly at the brunette. "The way I see it, he is falling for her, but he doesn't realize he is. I don't know if she feels the same way. The both of them are so hard to read at times, it's impossible to really get a lock on where they stand."

Beca found herself also frowning. "That's what I thought." She admitted, before Lily looked at her and asked, "What do you think? Aside from Chloe, you're the one who's gotten to know him best. Give me your insight."

The tiny DJ sighed. "I don't see it. Maybe it's just my asexuality that makes me more oblivious to it, but I honestly can't see them together. She has a boyfriend, and he doesn't have a plan for the future of any kind. Besides, she's a senior. She's gonna leave soon, anyway."

Lily nodded, but there was no joy in her expression. "It's sad, isn't it?" She asked, in a pitch lower than she had been speaking to Beca in for the past few minutes, but one higher than the one she had spoken to anyone in the past six months. Beca sighed, looking unhappily at the two people she had become comfortable with calling the best friends she'd made at that school. "Yeah… yeah, it is."

* * *

Ashley flipped the page of her comic book, not wishing to take her eyes off of the issue of The Punisher in her lap. She read in awe of the brutal violence on the pages before her. She had no idea why, but for some reason, Ashley always loved reading about the darkest comic book characters.

" _To think that a summer job at a comic shop was what lead to me using most of my seventeenth birthday money to buy a collection of comics instead of a car."_ She smiled at the memory of her Mother's surprise when she came home with a stack of issues and volumes.

Just as the Punisher put another bullet into someone's skull, her focus was interrupted by a rather loud yell. Almost instantly, everyone on the bus looked up, confused as to what was going on.

"What the Hell was that?" CR questioned, before LP interjected with, "It sounded like it came from outside!" He got up from his seat, and paced toward the door. Before jumping out to see what was going on, he looked back at the girls, who stayed put where they sat. "Come on!" He commanded, before opening the door and walking out.

"I've been shot! Help… I've been shot!" He heard a voice yell. "Amy?" He called out as he hurried over to the back of the bus, where her voice was coming from.

When he found her, Amy was quite a mess. She was covered in what looked to be a combination of meat, cheese, beans, guacamole, hot sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. "I've been shot! I've been shot at with a damn burrito!"

Beca, Chloe, Stacie, CR, Lily, Jessica, and Ashley found themselves surrounding LP and Amy, and looked in shock at the mess. "What the Hell happened?!" Stacie screeched as LP outstretched his hand to help Amy up.

Amy took his hand, and grunted before standing up completely. "It was those Treble shitbags! They threw cheap, Americanized Mexican food at me!"

Beca brushed past CR and Stacie in order to get closer to the Australian. "Any ideas as to who specifically threw it at you?" She questioned. "No need to guess, I already know it was Prince Fucknuts! He even called out my name before he did it, the bastard! Motherfucker thinks he can just throw this at me? He's in for something else, if that's what he thinks!" Amy yelled.

She was furious, and everybody could see it. "Amy, calm down." Chloe tried to soothe her, but Amy wouldn't have it. "Chloe, I love you, but please, shut up! I'm pissed right now!"

Chloe stepped back, a hurt look on her face. "Don't take this out on her, Amy. Let's save our anger for the next time we see the son of a bitch. Getting angry won't solve anything." Jessica interjected, trying to reason with Amy, who was looking at herself with a mix of anger and disgust.

"Can you blame me for being really mad?! I mean, look at me! I've got a burrito all over me! It messed up my outfit! What happens when we go up on stage? You think people won't notice that, blondie?! Jesus..."

Amy continued muttering something about 'smothering him with a pillow', all while the other Bellas groaned and watched as she continued to take out her anger on the bus by punching it. All the while, none of them seemed to notice Aubrey walking out of the gas station, looking furious as she walked in their direction.

"What the Hell are you all doing out here? Somebody better have been shot, or you'll need a good explanation!" She yelled, as Amy turned around to face her, fully displaying the burrito stain on her button up.

"I was shot."

As Aubrey's eyes widened, LP muttered, "Spoke too soon." With only a glare, the Bellas Captain told the boy to shut up, before clicking her heels away towards Amy. "What the fuck happened?! What the Hell is on your shirt? Why are all of you out here?! Who did this?!"

Amy took off her blue button up, wrapping it on her arms. "The Trebles were passing by, and their cock-thistle leader got the brilliant idea to throw his burrito at me!" She growled.

Aubrey rolled her eyes, before leaning back against the bus. "Goddammit… can't they cut us a fucking break? For once?" She moaned, before banging the back of her head against the bus. "Look, let's just… let's just get back on the bus, guys. We've already dicked around enough here as is. Amy, did you fill the thing up?" Beca questioned.

Amy nodded in response. "Yeah. Should be enough in here to get us there and back. Get back on, guys. All of you." She commanded. All of the Bellas, save for one, obliged.

LP stood next to the bus, watching as Amy shook the cloth that was wrapped around her arm up and down. "What're you waiting for, McDaniel? A handout? Sorry, but I don't have anything in my pockets." The boy shook his head. "Actually, I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

She took a moment to stop shaking the shirt to look up at him. A small smile was on his face as he looked at her. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Now, get back on the bus, Officer Friendly. I don't wanna have to ask again." Amy reassured, as he nodded his head and walked back to the bus.

* * *

Nobody was talking as the bus kept moving on going to Semi-Finals. Everyone sat in almost complete silence. Nobody knew what to say, or even do. So, they did nothing and said nothing.

Even Amy, for all her quips and one-liners, was completely silent as she drove the bus, paying full attention to the road, and still fuming from what had happened earlier. She was angry, and everyone could sympathize with why she was angry.

Chloe looked at all of them, and frowned. She hated seeing everyone look down, or anyone look down. It made her unhappy when she tried to remain optimistic.

Looking out the window, she put her headphones back on top of her ears. Pressing the shuffle button on her iPod, she hoped whatever song played, it would make her feel better.

As the song started, it automatically made her feel better. She knew it by heart, and continued to love it to that day. Then, somewhat quietly, she started singing along with the lyrics as they began.

CHLOE: I hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream in my cardigan. Welcome to the land of Fame Excess, whoo, am I gonna fit in?

What happened next took the redhead completely off guard, and made her just as happy.

STACIE: I hopped in the cab, here I am for the first time. Look to my right-

CR: And I see the Hollywood sign. This is all so crazy.

STACIE and CR: Everybody seems so famous.

She smiled, and looked at the others, who also seemed to quickly warm up to joining in.

AMY: My tummy's turnin', and I'm feeling kinda home sick. Too much pressure and I'm nervous.

And soon, mostly everyone on the bus had joined in. Even Aubrey looked happy to break the silence.

JESSICA: That's when the taxi man turned on the radio…

LILY (Quiet Voice): And the Jay-Z song was on…

ASHLEY: And the Jay-Z song was on…

AUBREY: And the Jay-Z song was on!

At that point, Chloe had turned her iPod off, and everyone was singing along. Except for two of them. LP and Beca looked at each other from across their seats, with LP slightly chuckling a little, and a smile on Beca's face growing bigger and bigger. All eyes were on them. And they knew it.

BECA: So I put my hands up! They're playing my song! The butterflies flying away!

LP: Nodding my head like, yeah-

CHLOE: Moving my hips like yeah!

ALL: I got my hands up, they're playing my song! You know I'm gonna be okay! Yeah, it's a party in the USA! Yeah, it's a party in the US-

And then they hit a literal bump in the road. It appeared before them too late for Amy to notice and warn them, and was so small it could very well have been invisible. Nobody saw it coming. And just about everyone had quite the adverse reaction.

CR lurched forward, catching herself just before she fell to the ground, Ashley screamed bloody murder, Beca fell forward, getting hit in the stomach with the back of one of the seats in front of her, and perhaps most embarrassingly of all, LP fell flat into Chloe's lap.

It didn't take long for anyone to notice, and soon, everyone was laughing. Even Beca and Chloe were laughing. "What?! What's happening? I can't see since I'm driving!" Amy yelled from up front.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that, uh, Mr. McDaniel over here took a head dive into Chloe's lap!" Stacie explained with a devilish grin, making no effort to conceal her laughter. Amy then joined them in their laughter, clearly enjoying herself a little too much. "That's… that's pretty funny!"

With a somewhat agitated look on his face, LP quickly took his head off of Chloe's lap, and crossed his arms. "It's not that funny, you perverts."

Beca faked a look of shock, and put her right arm to her chest. "Me? A pervert? Come on, Mac. You know me better than that." She said, shaking her head in faux contempt.

"Ha ha. I had my head in her lap. What do you want me to do, next? Smell her hair?" LP joked, before Chloe whispered in his ear, "Actually, could you do that? I conditioned it today, and wanted to know what other people thought."

His eyes widened, before he said in a manner most over-the-top, "I stand corrected."

* * *

It was time for the performance. Everyone was spread out backstage. They all knew the drill. They had been instructed and lectured about it by Aubrey at least three times in the past forty-five minutes. And they also knew to mostly ignore it.

Eight out of ten of the Bellas had a different set in mind than the one Aubrey and Chloe had put together for them. They knew what they wanted to run with, and how they'd play it if things went bad. They'd stick to the choreography they'd been given, but everything else? No questions needed. They had their own plan. The only matter at hand was if all of them were on board for it.

"Everyone knows what we need to do to get by tonight, correct?" Aubrey questioned all of them, whom she had demanded their attention from.

They nodded in response, an occasional murmur of "yeah" or "whatever" here and there. "Now, we all know the drill. We wanna get to Finals, we need to work together as a group. Like I said at the beginning of the year, this is war. And I need everyone to win."

Beca wasn't really paying much attention to their blonde captain. She felt no obligation to, and didn't much want to, either. As Aubrey's voice droned on in the background, she looked down at the ground. There was nothing to admire about it, nothing interesting, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to pick her face up. Whether it was because she was feeling guilty, or simply didn't want to listen to Aubrey, was debatable for her.

"-Am I clear?" Her voice came back into hearing distance. "Beca? Are you in, or out?" Aubrey questioned, as Beca slowly picked her head up. "Yeah. I'm in. 100%"

Aubrey calmly smiled, and said, "Then it's settled. We're gonna show them what we're made of! Tonight, it's the comeback we've been waiting for!"

There were ten minutes left until their performance. Most of the Bellas, save for Aubrey, who had taken a bathroom break, and LP, who was listening to music by the exit, were watching as another college performed.

All of them were impressed by one of the dancer's moves. He was a young, African American male, roughly eighteen, and he was leaving the audience nothing short of stunned with every move he made.

"Damn. How the Hell did they get that level of talent?" CR questioned. "I'll do you one better: where did he get those sweet moon boots?" Amy added on, pointing out the boy's shoes. "Those are so geeky. Who does he think he is: Napoleon Dynamite?" Ashley asked.

"I don't know about you guys, but something about him seems… off. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's just something I'm not sure about." Beca admitted, but the others weren't paying much attention.

Down by the exit, LP ignored the crowd outside of the stage. To him, the cheers and screams of the crowd were but a distant sound. In his ears, all that could be heard were the lyrics of the song he was listening to.

 _Lovers… keep on the road you're on._

 _Runners until the race is run._

 _Soldiers… you've got to soldier on._

 _Sometimes… even right is wrong._

 _They are turning my head out…_

 _To see what I'm all about!_

 _Keeping my head down_

 _To see what it feels like now._

 _But I have no doubt…_

 _One day, we're gonna get out._

His concentration, or lack thereof, was broken by him being tapped on the shoulder from behind. He took his headphones off his ears, and turned to face whomever it was that tapped him.

"Hey. Are you ready for more people to get an official look at the first male in the Barden Bellas?" Chloe asked, a smile on her face. He chuckled, putting his phone back in his pocket. "The first male in the Barden Bellas, eh? Sounds like a good nickname for me. A little long, but I can roll with it!"

Chloe, still smiling, rolled her eyes. "Okay, maybe you could use a better nickname. How about… Mr. Bella?" She suggested. "Good, but then I'll probably get confused with Robert Pattinson."

She laughed at his joke. "Maybe just 'LP' will be a good enough nickname for now." He remarked. "Yeah. I like that. Besides, it practically is your name. It's what we know you as." Chloe replied, giving him a light push on the arm.

And just like that, he found himself looking deeply into her eyes once more. They were a clear blue, like a morning sky or a calm sea with little to no activity on the horizon.

Chloe noticed his attentiveness, and raised her eyebrows. "What? What is it?" She asked, a slightly nervous chuckle at the end of her sentence. "I… I have something to tell you. I probably should've mentioned it earlier, but…"

Unfortunately, life had a way of cutting things off before the ball could get rolling. And in the distance, LP heard the other group being called off the stage for a grand exit. Exasperatedly, he looked at Chloe, and said, "It's time. We gotta get up there."

Quickly, the two got up behind the curtain. LP caught up to the others, eyeing Beca in particular. She got his signal, and nodded her head. "Wait, where's Aubrey?" Stacie looked around, not seeing their Captain anywhere. "Yeah, where is Captain Rogers? She should be leading the Avengers!" Amy quipped, earning her plenty of eye rolls from the group.

"I don't know where she is! She's never been in the bathroom for more this long, or just when the performance is starting!" Chloe panicked. "Well, what are we supposed to do?" Jessica questioned, as the others continued squabbling amongst themselves.

Beca raised her hand in the air, trying to get their attention. "Guys. GUYS. GUYS!" She yelled, finally having all eyes on her. "Look. It doesn't look like Aubrey is coming any time soon. And we all know that we're running outta time. We just gotta go through with it!"

To say that Chloe was confused was an understatement. She was completely perplexed, unsure what to do or even say. "What the Hell are you talking about?" She managed to ask, but Beca ignored her. "Guys, we have to do this! We don't wanna look like total idiots, so let's just wing it, like we planned on!"

Chloe's expression went from confused to angry. "Like you planned? Beca, what are you saying?!"

Taking a moment to look at her, Beca saw the desperate frustration in her eyes. With mere seconds to spare, LP exasperatedly said, "Tell her, Beca. She has a right to know at this point."

Beca opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She didn't know what to tell Chloe, or more accurately, what to tell her and how to make it sound not as bad as it was. "Okay. The truth is… we were planning on changing the set. Winging it. We all agreed to it."

The ginger was at a loss for words. Instead, all she could do was stay silent as she heard the Bellas being called to the stage. And as they hesitantly, almost shamefully, walked onto the stage, Chloe could feel her stomach twisting into knots in a loop that was seemingly endless.

* * *

John couldn't help but groan as he watched the Barden Bellas make their way to the center of the stage. "And next, we have… the Barden Bellas. Woohoo." He unenthusiastically remarked over a speaker.

Gail shook her head at his introduction. "Give it a rest, John. We haven't seen anything from these new Bellas yet. Perhaps they'll finally surprise us."

Looking at her with a face that read "are you serious", John said, "Oh, sure. I mean, it's not like they still don't have some of the old blood that was the reason they're the stain on Barden's good name. In fact, if I'm correct, Aubrey Posen, the specific reason for that status, is captain of this crew."

Gail gritted her teeth. "That is very true, John. But I like to hope that they've learned from their mistakes. Anyhow, let's get a sound for the Barden Bellas!"

* * *

Aubrey rushed out of the bathroom. She went as fast, and as carefully, as she could on high heels. She feared she was too late, but refused to believe that she was.

"Come on, Posen… don't mess up now." She thought out loud, before opening the door, and walking through the entrance backstage.

But the second she opened the door, she knew she was too late. And even worse, she knew that something was very, very wrong. For she heard the voices of the Bellas, but not in the way she had expected them.

It was all wrong. The choreography, the music, the beats. Everything was wrong. She could literally pick apart any, and possibly every, minute detail. She didn't care how petulant that could make her come across, it was the honest to God truth.

" _No. No. No. No. No. No. NO. What the fuck? What the fuck is happening?! They can't do this! They have no right to! They knew we had a plan, and that this was the only way to win! I have to do something! Ugh, but I can't! What am I supposed to do? Just nonchalantly walk onto the stage and act like nothing is different?! Ugh, damn you, guys!"_

In that moment, Aubrey didn't know whether she wanted to strangle all of them or join them. The former would get her arrested, and the latter would just humiliate them.

The Captain could feel her blood boiling as she closed her eyes. She turned away, clutching her stomach as it twisted and turned into knots. She wanted to simply pinch herself, and awaken to discover that everything that was currently happening, Hell, everything that had happened ever since she plunged the Bellas' reputation into the toilet, was an awful lucid dream. She wanted the pain to go away…

But it wouldn't. No matter what she wanted, no matter how badly she wanted it, Aubrey knew she could never win.

And when she opened her eyes, she glared at them. Anyone that wasn't Chloe, she could only look at with pure, unbridled rage. In that moment, she didn't care what had came before. Whatever good times they may have had, it didn't matter. In that moment, she hated the people she and Chloe had made the mistake of recruiting as Bellas.

" _I don't even know who I hate most right now. Is it Beca? Good contender for top spot, that's for damn sure. Her attitude sucks, she's a grade-A pain in my ass, and she's better off alone. She'd even agree with me on the last part. Or is it Amy? I mean, she tries so damn hard to be funny, but all she does is make people feel uncomfortable. Stacie? Aside from being pretty, what the fuck has she added? Lily can't talk for shit, why would she be able to? Besides, all she does is creep people out. And what the fuck have CR, Jessica, or Ashley had to say that actually contributed, lately?"_

But none of her anger at the others could compare to the almost unstable sense of fury she felt when she got a good, long look at LP McDaniel.

She didn't just hate him. Aubrey loathed him, despised him, hated everything about him. From his singing, to his dancing, to the way he sang the lyrics in such a poor attempt at fusing different songs from different genres with the others, everything about him angered her. His very place in there angered him. " _I've had enough. And this ends tonight."_

* * *

After finishing the final lyric of one of the songs they had chosen to run with, LP stood, his arms stretched out wide at his sides, and for the first time in minutes, he took a deep breath as he looked out into the crowd.

He saw them. All of them. And in their faces, he saw their confusion. He saw their looks of shock, especially in the faces of the judges. LP could tell that improvisation, as well as a change of pace judging by the reaction of the crowd, was not something the Bellas were known for.

And it terrified him. As they all slow clapped, and as the Bellas were called off the stage, he could feel both his stomach and his heart sinking. The thought of them screwing up wasn't something that had crossed his mind before. For he, of all people, knew that you could try your hardest, and never be good enough.

He knew he wasn't alone. As they walked off the stage, he saw in the faces of the Bellas, he saw that same fear. That same look in their eyes. The feeling was more than mutual.

* * *

"Gail, I… I'm stunned. I don't know whether to cheer or boo, for once. In all my years, the Barden Bellas have never impressed me, but tonight they did something else entirely: they surprised me. And I don't know whether this is a good thing or not."

John's mouth hung wide open, even after he had finished talking. He looked over at Gail, and she looked just as stunned as he. "I couldn't be more with you, John. I have never seen the Bellas like this before. A new groove, potentially a new style, and a new addition of all things. Who was that young man out there with them, tonight?"

* * *

LP knew well enough that Aubrey was angry. He saw it in her eyes. As she looked at him, he knew that she was furious. Not just with him, but with all of them.

"So… this is what it's come to. Betrayal. After all this time that I…", Aubrey began, before pausing to look at a nervous and confused Chloe, whom she could already tell had nothing to do with it.

"That we have spent preparing you all for. More importantly, I tried to get you all to be the best that we could offer. But judging by what you just did, I failed. Miserably."

Stacie looked at the others, and saw their guilt. "Look, Aubrey-", she tried to speak, but Aubrey silenced her with only a glare.

"I don't want to hear whatever bullshit excuse you think can soften this up. Because, in all honesty, probably nothing is going to make up for the fact that all of you have fucked up." She venomously continued, staring down each and every one of them.

As Aubrey continued to berate and belittle them, LP looked at Beca. Unlike them, she showed no fear. No guilt. Instead, she showed no emotion whatsoever.

"And I want all of you to know that you haven't just failed me, you failed yourselves. Lily, nobody could fucking hear you out there. Think you could speak up a little?" Aubrey hissed at the girl in question, who looked at the ground with little but a frown.

"CR and Ashley, your little duet was trash. It was no better than karaoke on a Friday night. Shit, that would've been a step-up!" She shouted at them. Ashley bit her lip, and CR scowled at the blonde, unintimidated by her insults.

"Stacie and Amy, what exactly were you trying to accomplish by standing near the front of the stage. Oh, wait. Let me guess. Trying to give the males in the audience a good look at the goodies. Because that's what you're all about, right Stacie?" Aubrey growled. Stacie's lip quivered, and LP could see it. It pained him to watch.

"Jessica, you really thought you could solo? You thought you could hold your own? You thought wrong. You messed up several lyrics, you stuttered, and you barely kept yourself together. You're not worthy of a solo." The usually perky blonde swallowed hard. The words hit hard. She knew they would, given how harshly Aubrey had talked down to the others. But that didn't change how it still hurt.

As Aubrey moved on to Beca, she got something she didn't expect: Beca was unafraid. She showed none of the same facial expressions the others did. "You don't feel bad at all, do you, Beca?" Aubrey asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

The brunette glared back at the Captain. "You already know I don't." She growled.

"Of course you don't. Because you're the badass. You don't give a shit what anyone has to say, Hell, you probably give zero fucks about whatever I'm about to say. Because that's just who you are, right? Is that how you get people to like you?" Aubrey questioned in a low, cold tone.

LP had heard enough. He had seen enough. And he wasn't going to have one more second of this. "Stop this…", he mumbled. Right on cue, Aubrey looked up from Beca, and slowly turned her head to face him.

"What was that?" Aubrey growled, her eye twitching. It was easy for him to look like he wasn't afraid. It had come natural to him. But at that point, LP McDaniel was afraid. But there was no way he would back down. Not yet.

"I want you to stop." He calmly said, much to the surprise of all of them. "You want me to stop?" Aubrey mockingly asked, as she got closer and closer to him.

The boy nodded his head. "Yes. You don't have to get angry at them for what happened out there. It wasn't their fault."

Shockingly enough, Aubrey's angry expression twisted into a smile. But it wasn't a genuine smile, like the one his Mother or Chloe had. It was cruel, menacing.

"Oh, it wasn't their fault? Well, if not them, then whose fault was it?" Aubrey questioned in that sickeningly sweet, fake tone of voice. LP could easily see where the conversation was going, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for whatever could come next.

"It's mine. I'm behind everything. I'm the guy who convinced them all to do this. I wanted to change the set, so I convinced everyone to join me. So if you're gonna punish anyone, punish me." He lied.

Beca's expression changed. For the first time in the past few minutes, she showed legitimate emotion. " _No. He can't take the fall for us. This was my fault. I came up with most of this. I can't let him just get himself in trouble for all of us, me especially. I don't deserve it."_

Beca opened her mouth to speak, but LP shot a look at her that said all she needed to know. With that one look, he said, loudly and clearly, 'no'.

"I knew it. I knew you were the one behind this. I should have known it was you. I mean, why wouldn't it be you? You've been nothing but trouble ever since you came here." Aubrey insulted.

LP wanted to say something. He knew he could say something. But instead, he remained silent as Aubrey continued berating him.

"Oh, yeah. Ever since you've come here, you've been nothing but a pain in my ass. I knew it the day you defied me, and defended that girl that broke tradition. And ever since then, you just kept digging yourself into a deeper hole. You insulted the leader of the Trebles, and got beat the shit out of for it. You almost got yourself and Beca arrested at our last performance. You ruined the set tonight and put the Bellas at risk of not going on to Finals. All of this is on you, LP McDaniel. You fucked up. And if we don't go on, then you will be the sole reason for the Bellas' failure."

LP breathed heavily. He didn't want to say anything. He didn't want to react. He didn't want to let her know how much her words hit. " _Don't sweat it too much. Don't let it affect you. This is what she wants, and you know it."_

Aubrey could see how much she was getting to him. The normally calm, collected boy she had witnessed throughout the year was slowly becoming a mess in front of her and everyone else. " _I can stop now. I've said what I want to say. I don't need to go any further…"_

But Aubrey didn't stop. She had one more knife to stab him with.

"You know what's the saddest thing about all of this? What's really sad is that I didn't want you in the Bellas at all. No, it was Chloe who wanted you in. She vouched for you. And throughout this year, you actually thought you could be friends with her, all while being _you._ You, the asshole who manipulated her into thinking she could trust you." She hissed at him, as his head hung low.

"Did you honestly think she actually cared about you? Wanted to be your friend? Who in the Hell would ever want to be friends with you? You don't belong in the Bellas. Fuck, you don't even belong at Barden."

LP looked up at her. In his eyes, Aubrey saw nothing. His eyes were a literal void of emptiness.

He then looked to the one person he thought he could feel some kind of warmth at Barden from. He stared at Chloe, almost daring her to look back at him. The entire time, she had stood back in fear of her own best friend.

And now, when she was being looked to from him for whatever reason, she had nothing to give. And it pained her to watch as his facial expression turned to one of clear anger.

"Okay. If that's how you feel, then why don't I just leave?"

All of their eyes widened at his response. But nobody was as shocked as Chloe. His words hit like a truck, and Aubrey's own shock didn't help either.

"LP, you don't need to-", Stacie started, in an effort to convince him otherwise, but he wasn't going to listen. "No, it's fine. I mean, Aubrey's right. It was my fault. I'm a disappointment. Isn't that right, Aubrey? I screwed us all up. I'm the load. And you guys are better off without me."

He began walking away, pushing past each of them as he did so. And as he walked, LP could feel nothing but cold, hard stares from each and every one of them.

Ignoring them all, he prepared to walk down the steps, but his hand was gripped tightly by Chloe. "Lee, please, don't go!" She pleaded, but he looked at her with only distress. "Chloe, just stop." LP begged, but she wouldn't let go.

"Look, I'm not saying what you did was right, but-", at that point, he pulled her hand off of his own.

"Chloe, just stop! Don't you get it?! I screwed us up! Do you not understand that I could be the reason that you guys don't go on to Finals? You heard Aubrey. You heard every word of what she said. I was the one who messed us up! So, will you just do yourself a favor and get the fuck away from me?!" He yelled at her, as tears slid down her cheeks.

With that, he slammed the exit door open, and sped out as quickly as possible. And Chloe? She could only cry. Soft, small tears slid down her face and to the floor, as she backed into a corner close to the door.

Beca looked at Aubrey. No, she glared at Aubrey. At that point, she didn't care what happened.

She went up to the captain, and stood directly in front of her. "What? You came to defend your friend? Why bother, he's a piece of-", Aubrey began, ready to insult the boy once more, but Beca grabbed her by the arms, and slammed her against the wall.

"YOU. FUCKING. BITCH." The brunette yelled. Aubrey struggled to get out of her grasp, but to no avail. "Let go of me! You both got what you-"

But Aubrey was interrupted by Beca applying pressure to her neck with her fist clenched. She gagged, struggling to breathe. And Beca didn't care.

"I don't care what you think you're entitled to. I don't care if you hate me, or LP, or any of us. But how fucking dare you drive him out? You were so quick to blame him, and you didn't even take a second to consider other possibilities." Beca growled, her grip tightening ever so slightly around around Aubrey's neck.

"What are you talking about?" Aubrey gasped. "It wasn't LP's fault for what happened. He wasn't behind any of this. He just had the idea, and I decided we should go through with it. Hell, he even felt guilty for it. Does that mean nothing to you? And now, you practically fucking broke him for something that wasn't his fault!"

Aubrey's eyes slowly widened in horror as the realization of what had really happened dawned upon her. "If anyone deserves to leave, it's me. I mean, I can't get people to like me because I'm such a bitch, right? Why don't I be the one to leave?" Beca questioned, before she let go of Aubrey's neck.

As Aubrey gasped for air, she turned to face the other Bellas. "See you around, kids. That's all I have for my show, today."

She walked past all of them, eager to get as far away from where they currently were as soon as possible. All she did was spare a passing glance at Chloe, who looked at her with desperation. And all Beca could muster to say to her friend were three simple words: "It wasn't him."

* * *

The night air was strange. It was the perfect blend of cold, a reminder of the winter that had engulfed Atlanta prior, and slightly warm, a foretaste of the beautiful springtime ahead.

As he sat alone on a bench, waiting for a bus, or a cab, or anything, to come and take him back to Barden University, he watched all kinds of vehicles come and go. Trucks, motorcycles, vehicles with families heading home, all kinds of things. And all of them passed him by.

Not that he minded. All the noise, all the cars, could easily be ignored by him, and he himself did ignore them by doing what he always knew he could do when he needed to get away from the world.

The music soothed him. It rang in his ear like no other song did. He had listened to it enough times to have memorized it. And he couldn't help but close his eyes as the lyrics to the song took him by the shoulders, and lifted him away from any of the pain he felt, if only for a brief time.

 _Step in front of a runaway train just to feel alive again._

 _Pushing forward through the night, aching just to blow aside._

 _It's so far, so far away._

 _It's so far, so far away._

 _Cold wind blows into the skin._

 _Can't believe the state you're in._

 _It's so far, so far away._

 _It's so far, so far away._

 _Who are you trying to impress, steadily creating a mess?_

 _Step in front of a runaway train just to feel alive again._

 _Pushing forward through the night, aching just to blow aside._

 _Aching just to blow aside, aching just to blow aside…_

Just as the song ended, his phone rang. Sniffling and taking a deep breath, Lee answered. "Hello?"

At first there was silence. The other line seemed to be dead air on its end. But the second he considered hanging up, an all-too familiar voice answered. "Hey."

"Hey, Dad."

On the other line, Thomas struggled to find his words, but eventually found his footing. "Uh… you called June's school? Made sure they knew she was sick?" He asked.

Lee nodded his head, in spite of Thomas not being there to know or see him do so. "Yeah. Is she okay?" He worriedly questioned.

"Yeah, she's fine. She's asleep in my bed. I just wanted to say 'thank you', son. I'm proud of you for taking care of her. That, and I wanted to check up on you."

The teen frowned, looking out into the night's distance, and seeing nothing but the flashing lights of passing vehicles and stop-lights. They were all a blur to him. He rubbed his eyes of the tears that had been there earlier, sighing as he did so.

"Uh… I'm not doing so hot, Dad. I think I might be feeling the worst I've ever felt since… y'know, since you and Mom split up. And… I'm scared. I don't know what to do, anymore. I don't know where I belong, and I don't know if coming to this college was the right choice. In fact, I, uh… actually, I was thinking of dropping out. If that's okay with you, of course."

Dead silence. For what had to have been thirty seconds, neither of the McDaniel men spoke, for neither of them knew what to say.

Finally, Thomas broke the silence. "Is that what you really want? Or are you just going through a hard time? Either way, I'd understand. I went through the exact same thing at your age."

Lee's eyes widened. "Really? But, Mom always said you had lot of fun in college. You were the life of every party." Thomas chuckled on the end of the other line.

"Yeah… but that doesn't mean I didn't still hate going into classes, or trying not to get kicked out, or find a job that let me be able to provide for myself. The one thing that kept me from leaving were the people I cared about. They were what kept me going. In college, Hell, in life, you're gonna wanna have friends by your side. And I found mine there. Were there bad times? Sure. But they didn't stop me from going on to finish, anyway. And the people I made friends with were right beside me until the end. So, if you really want to leave, okay. But I'd consider all your options before you come to a decision. Take care, Lee."

The line went dead. Lee put the phone back in his pocket, and found himself waiting once more for transportation home. " _Now see, Dad… I don't belong here. I don't belong anywhere."_

 _Author's Note: I promised heartbreak, and I gave you what you wanted. ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? Because I'm not. I'm sad, honestly. See, I know I don't talk about it much, but I feel really insecure about writing this story in particular. Every time I sit down to write it, I have a hard time because I'm so worried that it's not good enough, or that I'm doing something wrong. That's why the posting schedule is so sporadic. This story means so much more to me than you guys could ever imagine, and it makes me so happy that you've stuck with me through it all. Thank you. All of you. For reading, for following, and for being with me until the end. It means the world to me._

 _To the Phenomenal Flair, I love that you're enthusiastic for a sequel. I've had the idea in mind for a while, and have decided that yes, I will be continuing the story of LP McDaniel and the Barden Bellas in a retelling of Pitch Perfect 2. On the heartbreak, I hope this delivered on all fronts, because none of the Bellas were spared this time around. And to FFNT Needs Jesus, take this somewhere else. You're starting to annoy me._

 _Just to give you an idea of the next chapter, it will be very LP and Chloe centric, but that's not to say I don't have any more surprises up my sleeve. Also, we're going to get a better insight into Beca and the relationship she has with her Father, but not in a way I think any of you are expecting. Stay tuned!_

 _Now that all of that is out of the way, I'd like to thank you all for reading! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or anything you'd like to say about the story, just post a review! If you're feeling really generous, a follow or favorite for the story would be much appreciated! And hey, as always, take care, and I'll see you all next time! Until next time, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, and I am always dreaming, I am always scheming, and I am so excited to show you what I have to offer next!_

 _P.S: I will be releasing another Pitch Perfect story soon, but not in the same continuity as this or my other stories. As to what it's about, I can't say! It's a surprise!_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen: _Old Wounds_

LP's POV

Thing about being in bed all day is that, after a while, you start to realize you're only doing this because you don't want to actually go out into the world and socialize with anyone else. And in my case, I didn't wanna do that or see anyone. The only times I've really moved at all are to answer my phone, or simply ignore it and send whoever is calling me straight to voice mail.

I've had little to no true interaction with anyone these past few days. I barely sleep. And when I do, my mind keeps coming back to my fear of drowning again, and I have to wake myself up and convince myself that it's not real before I die of a heart attack. I don't even think I've eaten. If I have, I don't remember.

Sighing, I pause the movie, and get up to open the door. Not to my surprise, Chloe Beale is standing at my door. She looks at me with a small smile on her face. "Hi."

I smile back, but I'm not putting my heart into it. "Hi." I respond, before gesturing for her to come in, which she does. Chloe takes a brief look around, before looking back at me. "How've you been?" she asks. Wait, does she actually care about how I'm doing? I thought that telling her I was responsible for what happened at Semi-Finals made her want to stay away from me.

"Um, I'm doing okay. Y'know, I've just been enjoying my free time. It's relaxing." I lie to her, and she looks back at me. She has something to say. I can see it in her eyes.

Instead of actually saying anything, or at least anything she really wants to say, Chloe just smiles, and shrugs her shoulders. "That sounds great. I've been mostly doing the same, y'know? Just kinda doing my own thing, enjoying the break, trying to take it in as much as possible."

I nod my head. We're both trying so damn hard not to be awkward, and it's kinda depressing.

"I get that. I mean, it is your last year here, anyway." I remark, but then she gets this look on her face that I can only say makes her look like she just saw me shoot someone.

"Oh. About that, I uh… I don't know if this is gonna be my last year at Barden, actually." Huh? What does she mean by that? Is she really telling me she's not going to graduate?

I ask her what she means, and she looks at me and sighs. "I'm failing Russian Lit. All I need is to pass that to graduate, and I don't know how." Chloe tells me. Jesus. I can't imagine coming so close to moving onto the next part of your life, only to stumble near the end.

"Jeez, Chlo. I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do to help you, I'm here, and-", She interrupts me by speaking up and saying, "No. No, thank you. That won't be necessary."

"Huh? "What do you mean?" I ask her, and she shrugs her shoulders. "I mean that I don't care if I fail anymore, LP. I just don't give a shit. And I wish I did, but I don't." She answers. The way she says it isn't necessarily harsh, but it's certainly blunt. I wouldn't have expected it from her. I'd be less surprised if it was Beca, but still, it's a little jarring.

I want to say something, but I don't. For once, I have no idea what to say. So, I let her keep talking. "To be completely honest with you, I don't care if I fail Russian Lit. I didn't want to take it in the first place, so why should I care about it at all? I mean, it's not like I'm gonna remember anything I've learned in the class. I'm not gonna be able to apply it to later in life, right? So why should I put any effort in?"

I nod my head, trying to understand what she's saying. But the truth is that I don't. And I don't buy a word of what she's saying. "Chloe. Be honest with me: do you really not give a shit about failing this class?"

"No, I really don't." Huh. Maybe she does really mean it.

"Well, maybe you don't give a shit about the class, or failing it for that matter. But I know this for a fact: you're not entirely telling the truth to me." I say. I'm really trying not to piss her off, but the look she's giving me says that I may have achieved that.

She glares at me, and it sends chills down my spine. She's acting unlike anything I've seen from her in all the time I've spent with her these past months.

"And you've been completely honest with me? Aren't you the same guy who kept his mouth shut about changing the set at Semi-Finals until the last minute?" She bitterly asks me, before taking a moment to look at me. I can tell just by the way she opens her mouth to speak, only to stutter and stumble on her own words, that she regrets what she said.

3RD PERSON POV

"LP, I-" She begins, but the boy simply put his hand up, signalling for her to stop. "No, it's fine. You're right. It's hypocritical of me to ask for honesty from you when I wasn't completely honest, myself. And I'm sorry."

Lee gave her a small smile, though even Chloe could see in his eyes the true sadness beneath their exterior.

Cautiously, she walked up to the tall teen, and stared directly into his eyes. In those dark blue eyes, she could clearly see that her comment hurt him. "Lee. I'm so sorry I said that. You don't deserve to be talked to like that."

Ignoring her apology, LP walked to his window, looking out at the beautiful spring day. He very calmly and almost coldly said, "Don't worry about it, Red."

Chloe squeezed her eyelids shut, holding in her urge to bang her head several times against a wall. "Look, I just came to tell you that the Bellas are back in the competition."

Almost instantly, LP turned to face her. "Wait, really?" He asked, to which she nodded her head. "Yeah. One of the dancers for the other groups was in high school, so they got disqualified. That means we're back in. We have another shot!" She enthusiastically explained. And in response, all he gave her was a forced grin, one which she saw through easily.

"That's great, Chlo. I hope you guys do great, out there." Lee said, before turning to face the window once more. A puzzled look took form on Chloe's face, as she walked over to him. "You mean you're not coming back?" She asked him.

He shook his head. "No. I'm not coming back. I mean, it's not like Aubrey wanted us there in the first place, right?" LP remarked. Chloe knew there had to be a way to somehow coerce him.

"LP, Aubrey was just mad. She didn't think about what she was saying, and you know that. We all did. I mean, it doesn't change the fact that she said it, but still, I bet with some convincing, she'd let you guys back in."

He didn't look away from the window, nor did he have any desire to. "Maybe. But, just like you said, it doesn't change the fact that she said it. And you heard every word of what she said." LP said, his eyes focused on the outside world.

"Maybe she's right. Maybe you guys are better off without us." The boy said, much to Chloe's looks of protest. "No, you're wrong. We're not better off without you. LP, do you have any idea how much you guys saved our asses out there? If you hadn't done what you did-" She began, only for him to interrupt her mid-sentence.

"We'd be exactly where we are now. Kicked out, only to get back in at the last second. What's your point?" He coldly questioned her, his tone of voice taking her off guard.

Not that that was going to stop her. She cleared her throat, and after taking a stand next to him, placed her arm on his shoulder. Even when he didn't look at her, Chloe continued to speak.

"You didn't let me finish what I was going to say. And what I was going to say is that, even if you guys didn't do what you did, we still would have ended up getting last place, and they still would've found out about that guy being in high school, and we'd be back in the competition. So with that in mind, do you really still wanna mope around?"

LP found no bitterness in her voice. But there seemed to be none of the signature sweetness Chloe often spoke to him and everyone else he saw her interact with, either. At the core of Chloe's question was something so astonishingly simple: every word of what she said was right.

He turned to look at her, gently brushing her hand off his shoulder. "I'm not moping around because we lost. I'm upset because I feel responsible."

Chloe's patience was ending. "But why? All you did was try to do what you thought was right." She asked, her tone of voice growing increasingly angry. "Never mind. It's not important, Chloe." LP bluntly responded, the anger in his own voice beginning to match hers.

"Why don't you want to talk about this?" She continued to press him, as he walked toward the closet, avoiding making eye contact. "I don't know. Why do you care?" He harshly shot back, much to her annoyance.

"I care because I'm supposed to be, in your own words, your best friend! What happened to that?!" Chloe questioned, as he grew angrier. "Chloe, back off." LP growled, but she wasn't ready to back down.

"Why do you feel so guilty, LP? Huh? Just tell me that? What have you got to feel bad about?"

And then, LP yelled, without regard for alerting anyone else in Baker Hall, "You wanna know so badly? Huh?! Well, here's what I feel guilty for: everyone in the Bellas got slammed by Aubrey because of me! She put them all down because she'd been holding back what she wanted to say for ages! She never wanted us! She wanted a little group of soldiers who'd fall in line and do exactly as she said! And when she didn't get that, she took it out on everyone because I suggested we do anything in the first place!"

He then took a seat on his bed, looking down at the ground as if to continue avoiding eye contact with her. Within seconds, Chloe's facial expression went from angry to confused.

"But why do you feel responsible? Beca said it wasn't your fault." Upon saying this, Chloe saw that his face shot up to look at her. "What? She said that?" He asked before she nodded in response. "Yeah. She said, right before she left, 'It wasn't his fault'. So, if it wasn't your fault, why do you really feel bad? Because I sure as shit know it's not just because of what Aubrey said to the others."

LP's teeth gripped his lower lip, gnawing away for a few moments as he contemplated what to say, and how to say it. Seeing his uncertainty, Chloe sighed, and took a seat next to him on the bed. "I'm sorry I got so frustrated. All I want is to help you. But I can't do that unless you tell me what's going on."

Looking directly into her eyes, and her into his, she grasped his right hand, and said, "Please, Lee. Let me in. I'm here for you."

And the first thing he did was exhale. He finally knew what he had to say. "It wasn't just what Aubrey said to the girls that made me feel awful. It was some of the things she said to me that really hurt. They reminded me a lot of shit I dealt with in the past. Stuff that I've been trying to put out of my head since the end of high school."

Chloe nodded her head. "Go on."

"She brought up a lot of points. I did stand up for someone who slept with a Treble. I started the fight with Bumper. I almost got Beca and myself arrested. And I lied to you on the night of Semi-Finals." He continued to explain, as she listened intently.

"And all of that was true. And it hurt. But I could take it. What I couldn't take was what the last thing she said. Something about nobody caring about me. Nobody wanting to be my friend. That I'm just another asshole. That's why I cut loose. Because, in a way, that was the most honest thing Aubrey had said when she tried to bring us all down."

A quizzical look on her face, Chloe asked, "But why? Why do you think that's true, even if it's not?"

"Because it is, Chloe. Before I came here, before I left LA, before I met you or anyone, I wasn't the same person I am now. I did some bad things. I ran with a bad crowd, and I did things that I'm not proud of, and I let myself get suckered in because I thought I could trust someone that was part of that crowd."

He gulped for a moment, pain evident in his voice and eyes. He didn't think he could say anymore.

Then Chloe, with his hand still in her grip, said to him, "It's okay, Lee. You can say anything to me."

Taking a deep breath, the boy spoke once more. "It took me realizing that the things I was doing were bad, along with realizing that the person who I thought cared about me, the person I thought was the one person in my screwed-up life anymore who understood me, wasn't who I thought she was, anymore. By the time I realized any of this, it was way past being too late."

He held onto Chloe's hand, taking his time to speak. "Her name was Marissa. She was the first friend I ever had. Ever since preschool, we did everything together. We played together, we went to school together, hung out together. Through everything, Marissa was there for me. Even through my Dad getting laid off at work, she was there for me."

After taking a moment to stare at his side, he jumped right back to what he was saying merely seconds later. "And then when we got to high school, it felt like everything changed. She met a guy that she liked, and because of him, or maybe just because of her own choice, Marissa started doing bad things, too. She ran with his crowd, and I was too dumb to realize that I couldn't and shouldn't have tried to run with them. And in that time, while she was getting high in the school bathroom, I was coming into school every day trying desperately not to realize the truth: we weren't friends anymore. Tagging along every Friday night to do some dumb shit or another. There was nothing I could do to stop her from making her own choices, while I was making stupid decision after stupid decision, following her every step of the way."

His heartbeat was steady, but he still felt like he was going too fast for her.

"I didn't know how to cope with that, let alone my Dad never being able to keep a steady job, or be there for me, or my sister, or my Mom. And whenever he and my Mother were together, all they did was argue. Around me, around my sister, no matter what happened, it came down to arguing. It was inevitable that they got divorced. When they did, it was right around the end of my junior year. Biggest contender for the worst year of my life. "

Chloe breathed heavily, and briefly squeezed her eyes shut as she held back the tears that threatened to escape.

"Me and my sister begged her not to go. But all she could say to me as she left was this: 'everything will be okay'. But after that, everything wasn't okay. No matter how much me, or my Dad, or even June wanted to pretend, everything was far from okay in our fucked up little world. For the longest time, I didn't think there was any way to escape. I thought about running away, or trying to get back in touch with Marissa. Hell, some nights, I'd sit up and ask myself if there was any way out, or if there was a way everything could possibly get worse."

His eyes welled, and he let out a deep sigh before he spoke once more. "And then, somehow, like all things in my life, things got worse. When I switched to a new school, I didn't make any friends. Everybody knew me as the kid with a deadbeat Dad. At my graduation, my Mom didn't even show up. And my Dad? He was held up at work. A job he'd get fired from a week later. And when I got back home I just... I didn't know what to do... actually, I- I was thinking of killing myself, that night. Maybe I'd go outside, and step into traffic, or just drown myself in a river. I thought that maybe, if I went away, there'd be one less bad thing in my family's life."

Chloe could neither blink nor hold back whatever she may have been trying not to show before. Tears flowed down her face, but he paid no never mind.

"I wanted to do it. Right then, right there. Would anything be better? Would anything change? Would anybody care? I didn't think so then, and after what happened a few nights ago, I don't think so now. That's why I left. That's why I wanted you to stay away from me."

Sighing, LP wiped his forehead, and looked over at Chloe as she stared at him, a perplexed and unsure look on her face. For what could have been an eternity, there was nothing but silence. Complete, dead silence.

Then, Chloe broke whatever quiet there may have been in the room by asking, in a voice so faint she might as well have been whispering, "Did you try to do anything to yourself?" She asked, her voice so small it could very well have been mistaken for a mouse squeaking.

"No. I didn't. And for one reason: her. June. All it took was looking at her for five seconds, seeing her look to me for answers while I watched our Mom leave. She didn't even say anything because she didn't have to. I could see it in her eyes. Just by looking at me, she asked, 'what are we gonna do now?'"

His lip quivered. Chloe could tell just by the look on his face alone that he was becoming more and more overwhelmed.

"Have you ever been looked at that way? Has someone you loved with everything and anything you have left in your life looked to you for comfort, for reassurance, for the hope that everything will be okay? Because up until then, I'd never felt that. And I didn't know what the Hell to do. I was just a messed up kid with a Dad who couldn't land a decent job, or keep his family together, and a little sister who needed someone to depend on."

His sweat, still dripping from his forehead, slowly hit the floor, as he exasperatedly sighed. "It was then and there that I realized I had to turn my life back around. For her, for my parents, and for myself. I thought I could get a fresh start here. I thought I could wipe the slate clean, and hey, while I'm at it, maybe I could make a few friends. But after what happened at Semi-Finals, I got to thinking… what if Aubrey is right? Maybe I am nothing more than just another asshole."

The redhead could tell he had nothing left to say. That he was done speaking, at least for the time being. And she too had nothing to say. What was there to say? Was there anything that would suffice as an appropriate reaction for how much this person she'd only known for a few months at most had just expressed to her? Chloe could only assume that the one answer to be found was 'no'.

Which surprised her a good deal when she spoke. "Oh, my God. I didn't know about this. I mean, I never really wondered if you'd really… my point is, I'm so sorry, Lee. I didn't know being here really meant that much to you." A sympathetic but sad look formed on her face as he looked directly at her.

"There's a lot you don't know about me. There's a lot I don't want other people to know about me. As a matter of fact, even now, I don't think I'm being completely truthful with you. But at this point, you are officially the only person I've talked to about this. As in ever. Look, I'm sorry for lying. And I'm sorry that I've been mad at you a few times, especially today. And I'm sorry for whatever I may have done to put our friendship into question. But the truth is that what I told you back at the last practice wasn't me bullshitting. The truth is that you're the closest thing to a best friend I'll ever have. And… I'm sorry. For everything. And if you hate me just as much as I'm sure a lot of people here do, I understand."

Chloe had heard enough. And she ignored his look of surprise as she pulled away from his hand, and instead put both of her hands on his shoulders.

"I don't hate you. I never have. And now that I'm done listening to what you have to say, I need you to listen to what I have to say: you are not a bad person, Lee. You're not perfect, but you don't have to be. You're a good friend. You're kind, you're loyal, and you're thoughtful. You stood up for us when no one else would at the riff-off. You and Beca brought the rest of the Bellas together even when you knew it would go against the rules. And there's more that I can think of that I know makes you better than what you say or think you are."

LP remained silent, unsure whether to admire her optimism or snarl at it. Nevertheless, he continued to listen to her, as she spoke once more. "You're not the same person you used to be. You are who you choose to be. And who you've chosen to be is a good person, Lee Patrick McDaniel. Don't forget that."

Chloe then completely took LP, and herself, by surprise when she leant in and gently planted a kiss on his cheek before getting up to leave.

Without even saying goodbye, she left. Just like that, she walked out the door, not even sparing the stunned teenager a chance to wave at her, or even say 'goodbye'. She left as quickly as she got up. And he was alone once more.

But despite being alone in the room, he didn't feel alone. In a way, he felt more comfortable than he had in what felt like a very long time. Laying on his back, LP no longer felt the tiredness he had long grown complacent with since he returned from Semi-Finals. Inside his body, he could feel his heart pounding, racing, desiring to move around once more.

The dark-haired boy pressed his pointer and middle finger on the spot where Chloe had left her gentle mark. Slowly moving them down his flesh, LP felt as if he could still sense that warm, tender kiss. Nobody had ever dared done that to him before, for he had never given them the opportunity.

He sighed, but it was not a sigh expressing frustration. What he was feeling at the moment could best be described as being content. It overcame his body, wrapping him in its grasp, like a fist clenching around him. Whatever he may have been thinking or feeling before didn't matter to him, any longer. It quickly became nothing more than a distant memory, not to be forgotten, but to serve as a reminder of what he knew he had to do. Closing his eyes, he laid on the bed to rest, before allowing sleep to take hold of him.

* * *

ONE DAY LATER

The bitter, chilling cold and snow of the winter season had left Barden University and, by extent, Atlanta. Ever since the official end, there had been nothing but sunny days, and many of the Campus residents both leaving and returning for spring break, which would be over by tomorrow.

Beca couldn't help but sigh and take in the sight of various children playing outside, enjoying what they believed would last forever, and awkwardly observing couples taking walks, even throwing in some kisses every now and then for good (and increasingly uncomfortable) measure. For once, she was relieved to be headed in the direction she was going.

She soon found herself standing in front of the home that belonged to her Father. It was a small house, not too far from campus. From the outside, it looked like many of the other houses on the street where it resided.

Her music made its way into her ears, in spite of the volume being kept at a medium level. She found that, when she was feeling down, or wanted to escape the pressures of reality, even if it was for a few minutes, it was more than helpful. If anything, it was beneficial.

Walking up the steps, she found herself quickly turning off her music, and taking a deep breath, pressing 'stop' on her Walkman.

"Okay… I can do this. I can. I know I can."

The teen knocked on the door, expecting an answer, all the while hoping for one that wasn't from Sheila.

 _"I don't have the energy to deal with bullshit a whole lot these days, and especially from her."_

Unsurprisingly for Beca, her Father almost immediately answered. And when he did, he looked as surprised as she thought he would. "Well, this is unexpected." He remarked.

With a slight roll of her eyes, Beca, in a voice so quiet she surprised herself, asked, "Can I come in?"

At first, Warren's eyebrows rose, as if he were daring Beca to doubt he'd say 'yes'. She could see this, and quickly added, "Please?"

Then, his facial expression turned to a knowing grin, and he moved out of the way, essentially welcoming her. "Make yourself at home." He said, not a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Beca exhaled, and walked in, taking her shoes off as she did so. She hadn't been to this house in years, but she always loved the interior. If there was one thing she could credit her Father and Sheila for, they were excellent at keeping their home looking nice. For the few times she did visit, she was actually excited to go inside the house, if only for the first few moments.

She made her way into the living room. It had looked practically the same as it did the last time she visited. Not that Beca truly paid any never mind.

Taking a sigh of what could only be bittersweet relief, she fell into the armchair her Father took with him when he divorced her Mother. "Well, you don't seem very talkative." Warren joked, taking a sip of his coffee as he sat down on the couch that stood next to the chair.

Beca chuckled darkly, looking down at the coffee table, stacked with magazines on the top, mostly for Sheila, and coasters for cups of tea and little plates of crackers.

"When have I ever really been known to be chatty, Dad?" She hoarsely remarked, a frown ever present on her face. "You know what I mean. Usually, you have more than a few smart remarks up your sleeve." Warren explained, though he felt no need to.

He watched as his daughter bit her lip. Something was troubling her. He could tell just by the expression on her face. "So, do you wanna tell me what's bothering you, or do you just want to discuss something else to keep you distracted from it?"

Beca looked up at Warren, her dull, emotionless look remaining unchanged. "Dad, answer me honestly. I mean I want 100% honesty, here. No bullshit whatsoever." She rambled. All the while, Warren nodded his head, his concern growing more apparent.

"I promise, no bullshit." He swore, crossing his heart after doing so, prompting a small laugh from Beca. "So… whenever you're ready, I'm ready."

She folded her hands together, briefly pressing them to her lips before she eventually found the words she wanted to say.

"A couple of days ago, I went behind somebody's back. I thought I was doing the right thing, but then I realized just how badly I fucked up when someone, someone that I consider a good friend, got hurt because of what I did. And the person that hurt him had a few good things to say to me, too. She said… she said that I act like a bitch, or a badass, because I like to pretend that I don't care what anyone has to say. She asked me if that's how I get people to like me."

Warren sighed. His face showed a different emotion now. It was one of sadness, but even more unfortunately for Beca, it was one that said everything without saying anything.

"And I've been thinking to myself, what if I really am that awful of a person? Am I really just as bad as the people I try so hard to avoid? Or the people I hated in high school? Just tell me that, Dad. Please."

Warren set his cup of coffee on the table, his mouth hanging open. "I… I don't know what to tell you, Beca." He honestly stated, much to Beca's annoyance. "I knew you would say that. God, why is it that when I need you the most you're never here for me?"

She instantly regretted saying that upon seeing the look on her Father's face. With only his eyes, he showed her exactly what he was thinking and how he was feeling. He didn't have to say a word.

"Dad, I… I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Beca quickly apologized, as her father rubbed his eye. "It's fine. I know you didn't mean it, kiddo." Warren tried to smile, but his optimism proved useless. Automatically, Beca could see through the falseness of his grin. She clenched her fist, only to drop it onto her lap.

"See? This is what I'm talking about. What Aubrey was talking about. If it wasn't for me, then maybe Lee wouldn't have left, and I wouldn't have left, and-"

Beca wanted to continue. She had plenty to say. But Warren stopped her. With a simple gesture, he managed to instantly quiet her down. His arms wrapped around her upper body, he shushed her, urging her to quit panicking. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean it..." She breathed heavily, her arms finding themselves embracing him as well. "Shhh... I know you didn't, Beca." He soothed, as she sighed, and looked up at him, breaking off their embrace.

"Dad... why do I push everyone away that remotely tries to care about me?" She asked, her head hung low, and her eyes centered on the ground. Warren sighed, placing his hands on his lap. "Beca, you don't push everyone away. You and I both know you don't push everyone away. And you are not an awful person. You're the furthest thing from it."

Beca looked up at him, and saw a sad, but genuine, smile on his face. "Honey, you vouched for a friend. You managed to get close enough to him to care about him, and from what I understand, he cares about you, too. And what about those girls? The ones you told me about when I called you a few days ago?"

She grimly chuckled at his points, and at the memories she had of the past few months at Barden. Making music with LP, Jesse, and Benji, watching Terminator 2 with them and the Bellas, every good memory she could think of came flooding back to her.

"Look, I... I know things have been hard for you since I left. I know it's been hard ever since me and your Mom lost touch with each other, and that it's been hard with you realizing all these things about yourself. And I see now that I haven't been the best Dad, Beca. I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you when you were going through all of this. At a time when you needed someone to be there for you."

Beca kept eye contact with him, not once taking her eyes off his. "I just want you to know how proud I am of you. For putting yourself out there, for trying to make friends, and for sticking with this. I know you want to go to LA, and if you want to leave, I promise you, I will keep up my end of the bargain. But most importantly, I just want you to know that I love you. No matter what."

Warren sighed. He sighed out of what could only be relief, and wiped a tear from his right eye. Then, he watched as his daughter placed her right hand on his.

"I love you too, Dad."

He found himself smiling at her, as well. As Beca removed his hand from his, Warren watched her intently as she spoke her next words. "The truth is that I really did like those girls and that guy. Even their stick-in-the-mud captain is kind of endearing. I mean, they're all insane, and have a few screws loose, and they're unbelievably, almost annoyingly plucky, but they're still my friends. And if I wanna say anything to them, I'll have to wait another five days."

Warren nodded his head in understanding. "You really cared about them, didn't you?" Beca nodded her own head. "Yeah. I just… I wanna let them know. Everything. I want to be done keeping to myself all the time."

He smiled, nodding his head once again, and then another time, as if to show his understanding. He opened his mouth to say something. Unfortunately for Warren, he was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. "Excuse me. I have to get that."

As he got out of his seat to open the door, Beca's phone silently buzzed in her pocket. She pulled the device out, and looked at the screen to see what it was that was sent to her, and who sent it to her. And the first thing she saw was a message from Chloe.

 **"We weren't disqualified! The Bellas are back in! They found out that one of the dancers in one of the other groups was a high schooler, so they disqualified them! We're ready to roll!"**

Beca let out a small laugh followed by a sigh at the optimism of the plucky Bella. "How does she stay so cheerful? She's like a ray of literal freaking sunshine."

Almost automatically, she began typing back, before hitting the 'send' button. The message read: **"That's great. Good luck out there, Red."** As she put her phone back on the table, Beca overheard Warren and the 'Step-Monster' laughing as they walked back into the living room.

Almost instantly, Sheila's almost uncontrollable giggling stopped, and her facial expression turned into a sneer that very much so reminded Beca of the one the title character of Dr. Seuss' 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' possessed. "Hello, Rebecca." She coldly greeted, only for Beca to reply with a simple, "Guten tag, Sheila."

Recognizing the potential for an argument, Warren quickly stepped in. "Be nice to one another, please. Also, Beca! Would you mind coming out to the front for a moment? There's some people that I'd like you to meet."

Beca shrugged her shoulders, and set her phone on the table, before walking past Sheila, who continued to look at her with the same icy stare she always had in her eyes whenever they were in the same room together, and walking outside alongside her Father.

Once they exited the house and found themselves on the front lawn, Beca noticed a red minivan on that stood parked in front of Warren's house. She also noticed an older woman with brown hair grabbing what looked to be her suitcase from out of the trunk.

Her Father gently nudged her on the shoulder, a clear indicator for her to come along. The two then walked over to the woman, who still hadn't noticed them. Once they were close enough to be heard and slightly seen, she turned around, and instantly beamed at the both of them.

"Warren! It's so good to see you!" She exclaimed, putting her suitcase down before hugging him. He hugged her back, smiling warmly. "Good to see you too, Katherine!"

After hugging him, the woman, Beca took it her name was Katherine, looked directly at her. "You must be Beca! I've heard so much about you! I'm Katherine, but you can call me Kathy if you like! I'm Sheila's sister!" She introduced herself.

Beca couldn't believe what she was hearing. And as she outstretched her hand to shake the Kathy's, the brunette thought to herself, "I have several questions. One: how on God's Earth is a relative of Sheila this friendly? Two, why couldn't Dad have married her, instead? Three, how are they nothing alike?!"

Ignoring these thoughts, she put on a small, friendly smile. "Yeah. That's me. Nice to meet you, Kathy." Beca politely said. "Your Father's told me so much about you! I think he mentioned something about you being in the Barden Bellas, right?" Kathy asked.

Beca nodded her head. "Yep. Well, I was. I kinda quit." She admitted, not wanting to go into detail about what happened the night of Semi-Finals. "That's a shame. You know, come to think of it, I actually was a Bella back in the day!" Kathy remarked, earning her a wide-eyed look of surprise from Beca."Really?" She managed to say, not knowing how else to react. "Mmm hmm! It's an honor I hold to this day. We always said, 'once a Bella, always a Bella'. It's one of the few things I've ever wanted for my daughter!"

Kathy's own eyes widened as she thought about the last part of her sentence. "Speaking of which, she's still in the car! If you'll excuse me, I'll go get her."

She then walked to the other side, and appeared to be opening the door and having a conversation with someone. Beca could faintly hear words being spoken by both Katherine and a second party.

Eventually, Katherine returned to the other side of the car, her smile still on her face as a younger girl, no older than fifteen, walked alongside her.

 _"Who's the kid?"_ Beca thought to herself as Warren greeted the younger teen, who shyly smiled in response. Then, he turned to face her. "Beca, this is Katherine's daughter and Sheila's niece, Emily."

Emily shyly waved at her. Beca noticed the striking similarity between the girl and her Mother. Same brown hair, same eye color, they even had the same posture. _"The resemblance is uncanny."_ Beca thought to herself as her Father awkwardly gestured towards the door.

"Why don't we all go inside? I know Sheila would love to catch up with you. In the meantime, Beca, why don't you try and get to know Emily better?" Warren suggested, before the four walked inside the house. Beca followed behind the other three, for she would have felt awkward going ahead of them.

Once they were all inside the house, and the two girls made their way into the living room, Beca found herself face to face with the younger girl.

At first, neither of them said anything. It was awkward enough as is. Neither of them knew each other, and yet, here they were, sitting next to each other on the couch.

And the first words that came out of either of their mouths was from Beca. "So… how ya doin'?" She asked, as Warren led Kathy into the kitchen, where she embraced her sister. Emily shrugged her shoulders. "I'm alright." She admitted, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh, thank God. For a while there, I thought you were mute." Beca jokingly muttered, rubbing her forehead as she did so. Emily's eyebrows rose, indicating her confusion. "What?"

The older girl chuckled. "I'm kidding." As Emily let that sink in, she gave an awkward, forced laugh as a response. "That's pretty funny." Emily nervously said through her laughing.

Beca rolled her eyes. "Relax, kid. You don't need to be so nervous around me." She said, as Emily continued to laugh, though it did become slightly diminished. "I, uh… I'm sorry, it's just that Uncle Warren told my Mom, who told me, a lot about you." The younger teen explained, as Beca nodded her head.

"I assume not a whole lot of it was good." Beca groaned, knowing her Father couldn't have left out a good deal of the depressing details. "Actually, it was mostly good stuff! He's really proud of you!"

Beca's heart jumped several beats. The expression on her face showed exactly what she was thinking to Emily, who took notice. "Are you okay? You look like a ghost walked right through you."

In response, Beca simply said, "It's nothing kid, it's just… I haven't heard him say he's proud of me, very much. I never took him as someone to be proud of me. I guess you can say it's just kinda surprising."

Emily's own expression turned to one of unexpected sadness. "You never thought he was proud of you?" She questioned, as Beca slowly nodded her head. "A little bit. I mean, a while back he left a voicemail saying the same thing. Truth is, I couldn't even remember the last time he said that to me. God knows I don't necessarily deserve it, but…"

She found herself being sympathetically patted on the shoulder by Emily. "You do deserve it! You seem a lot different from what Aunt Sheila told me you were."

Beca smirked. "First of all, you don't personally know me. Second of all, what exactly did 'Aunt Sheila' tell you that I am?" She asked, a devilish look in her eye. "Well, I'm not normally supposed to say these words, but… can you keep a secret?" Emily questioned in return, before Beca crossed her heart.

Then, Emily whispered in her ear. And not a word that came out of the girl's mouth was positive on any level. When she was done, Beca sat stunned. She wasn't sure whether to be offended or amazed. Or both. "Wow. With Sheila being a Christian, oh, I'm sorry, 'born-again' Christian, I'd have thought she'd know how to watch her language a little more."

Emily burst out laughing. But this time, it was a genuine laugh. Beca could tell she wasn't faking it this time because a real laugh wouldn't sound anywhere near as natural. And she couldn't help but crack a smile.

After she finished her fit of laughter, Emily drew her attention back to the older girl. "Don't worry about what Aunt Sheila says about you. I don't think it's true. Besides, let me tell you, it's nowhere near as bad as what she has to say about my older brother. Now that is just cruel."

Beca kept the grin, trying her hardest to suppress a hearty laugh in return for the one she had received from Emily moments earlier. "Thanks, kid. Glad to know there's at least one new person that I've met who doesn't hate me."

Emily looked at her with concern, though Beca found it unwarranted and unnecessary. She hated when people looked at her that way. It always felt like they were taking pity on her. She never understood why, but she always felt disgusted with herself when someone took pity on her. "I'm sorry that you feel that way. Do you want to talk about it? My Mom always says that talking about what's troubling you helps more than you think."

In response, Beca promptly, and visibly, cringed. "No. I'm fine. I don't really wanna talk about it." She didn't want to bring back the bad memories of what happened on Semifinals, from Amy's 'shootout', to Aubrey's rants, and especially the pain she could so easily picture on the faces of her fellow Bellas.

"Alright. If you're sure you don't wanna talk about it, that's fine with me. All I'm saying is, if you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me. I promise, I won't judge."

Emily briefly looked away from Beca, as if she were daring her to speak her soul. Beca briefly turned away from the younger girl. She had no desire to speak about what was really going on in her mind. But at the same time, Aubrey's words kept rolling around her brain.

"You're the badass. You don't give a shit what anyone has to say, Hell, you probably give zero fucks about whatever I'm about to say. Because that's just who you are, right? Is that how you get people to like you?"

She took multiple deep breaths, in and out, for at least thirty seconds. After fifteen, Emily looked over, no longer daring Beca to speak, and began to look genuinely concerned.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked, as Beca looked over at her. Taking a deep sigh, the brunette flopped back against the couch. "No. I'm not okay. Because I have a problem. And it's a big one."

Emily leaned in, looking intently at her. "Whatever it is, I'm listening. Like I said, no judgment."

Beca momentarily looked at the ceiling, before turning her attention to the ground. "Your Mom told you that I was in the Bellas, I'm assuming?" She asked, as Emily nodded.

"Well, I'm not anymore. Hell, I don't even know if I had a place in the Bellas. We were more of a circus act than an acapella group. We were led by a chick who acts like a massive asshole."

Emily suppressed a chuckle as Beca continued speaking. "We were also led by a redhead with relationship issues. And the others in the group? They were crazy as Hell. At first I thought that working with these people was gonna be just a way to kill time. I thought that I wouldn't remember any of these people in this group."

With a small, sad smile on her face, Beca looked up at the still-listening Emily, who watched with great concentration.

"But I ended up getting close to them. I ended up beginning to actually care about them. All of them. I started to think I had finally broken out of the zone I've been in for so long. This bullshit circle of loneliness that I've been okay with for so long. But then I screwed up. And my best friend paid for my mistake."

She paused for a moment, balling up her hands together, and pressing them to her lips. "I fucked up, and because I fucked up, I left the Bellas. It's the least I could do."

Emily didn't know what to say. Never before had someone older than her spoken to her with such honesty, or on the same level as another person that was the same age as them. She was taking in so much information, and watching a person be so completely honest with her, it was overwhelming.

"Wow. I… I'm so sorry. That sounds awful. I wish that didn't happen to you." She apologized, in a voice so unbelievably sincere, it was almost unreal to Beca.

"Don't worry about it, kid." Beca bluntly replied. "Hey, uh, if you don't mind me asking, who was that best friend you were talking about?" Emily shyly questioned.

Beca shrugged her shoulders, briefly paying a look at her phone on the table. As it buzzed once more, she saw one new message on her screen.

Her curiosity piqued, Beca reached for her phone, and scrolled down on the screen, until she saw the message.

 _"Meet me at Baker Hall as soon as you can. I've got something to tell you."_

She looked up from her phone, and towards Emily. "His name is LP McDaniel. From what I've been told, and what I've seen firsthand, he's the first guy in the Barden Bellas."

Emily's eyes widened with the same curiosity Beca had demonstrated moments earlier. "A boy in the Barden Bellas? But my Mom always told me that there could never be a boy in the Bellas!"

Beca chuckled, and said, "Well, I guess you both thought wrong. And now, he's asking me to go to his dorm to meet him. What do you think I should do?"

With a massive smile on her face and her mouth hanging open, Emily shrugged her shoulders, and enthusiastically said, "Go to him! He obviously has something important to tell you."

The eighteen year old smiled in response, and got off the couch. "Thanks for the advice, Emily." But as she began to leave the room, Beca quickly turned around to go back over to the couch.

"Can I see your phone?" She asked, as Emily nodded her head and, without hesitation, unlocked her phone and handed it over. Thirty seconds later, Beca promptly handed it back. Emily then asked, "What did you need my phone for?"

"I put my number in there. In case you wanna keep in touch." Beca remarked. Emily took a glance at her contacts with a look that Beca identified as 'holy fucking shit, no way', and then looked back up.

"Are you sure? I mean, not that I'm not happy about this, it's awesome, and thank you so much, but… why?" She nervously asked. "Because why the Hell not? We're half-cousins, after all. That, and you can let me know what the step-monster says behind my back." Beca explained, winking her eye on the last part of her sentence.

"Thanks. I'll tell you everything you wanna know! Just shoot me a call or text any time!"

With a final thumbs up to Emily, a quick goodbye to her Father, a 'nice to meet you' to Kathy, and a quick 'hasta la vista, baby' to Sheila, whose nose wrinkled in disgust, mostly due to a lack of understanding of the reference, Beca sprinted out the door, and made her way to Baker Hall.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Rereading this story as a whole a few times, I realized something: I fucked up the year that LP said his parents got divorced! In one chapter, they were divorced in his junior year, and in this one, they got divorced at the end of his senior year. It's been so long since I wrote that chapter that I got confused as to when it was. I need to get better at proofreading! Sorry, guys. I also thought this would give me an opportunity to make LP's story something that satisfied my original vision more. I hope you guys like the change, especially since I didn't think it'd fit his character to be an alcoholic._

 _Not gonna lie: this is the hardest chapter I've ever written. I really wanted to stick the landing with LP's story and Beca's arc from the original movie being expanded upon and receiving more focus, with both moving forward in what I had to think over a few times before I became truly satisfied with, and even then, it required a rewrite all the same. On the plus side, we've ended on a slightly more hopeful chapter this time around! Chloe played a part in getting our hero out of his funk, while Beca tied up some loose ends and, as a reward for doing so, made a new and unexpected friend! For once, things are looking up for our protagonist and his friends! Here's to hoping it sticks throughout the rest of the story!_

 _If you're wondering why I included Emily, it's because I wanted to set her up as a character in the story to follow, and establish a dynamic between her and one of the lead characters beforehand. I hope you were surprised and happy with how I worked her in! And now that you guys know a lot more about our guy in an all-girl acapella group, I hope you're satisfied with what's being revealed!_

 _Nweeks3, I'm really glad you loved Chapter 16! It's probably one of my favorite chapters that I've written, and I'm happy it paid off so well for you and others! Knopelemoncregg, you have no idea how happy it makes me knowing that you've read my stuff! Thank you for your kind words, and I'd also like for you to know that your stories are so entertaining, and bring me a lot of joy! Phenomenal Styles, glad to see you're still with this story! The last chapter was the most emotionally daunting thing I've ever written, with this being a close second, and I hope you love this chapter just as much as the others! By the way, you have no idea how much your kind words mean to me. I mean it, your support and the support of others is what convinces me to keep writing this story for you guys, and I always hope to leave just as happy reading it as I am writing it! Also, thank you for your thoughts on the original Chapter 17, which I reread a few times and thought it could use improvement!_

 _The next chapter is gonna see all of our main cast, including Jesse and Benji, who we sadly have not seen for a while now that I realize it, be brought together in a less epic version of the Avengers assembling. Can't wait for you to see what I have in store!_

 _Wrapping things up here, thank you all for reading! If you'd like to share your thoughts or give me some feedback, leave a review! If you're feeling generous, you can follow/favorite me as an author or, better yet, follow/favorite this story, which I work so hard to make fantastic and worth your time! And, as always, take care, everyone! Until next time, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, always dreaming, always scheming, and always excited to show you what I'm going to do next!_

 _BTW: I think I know who I'd want to play LP if there was a movie adaptation (I can dream, can't I?). I've thought a lot about it, and I think he's perfect! Can't wait to tell you who it is in Chapter 18!_


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen: _Pitch Perfect_

The cigarette was clenched tightly between her teeth. Pulling out a lighter from her coat pocket, she sat on the edge of the pool. Clicking it on, she carefully placed the thing as close as possible to the stub, before pulling it away, and taking a puff of the crisp, smoky air.

 _"This pool stinks enough, already. And here I am, lighting a cigarette. I can only imagine what Dad would do if he saw me right now."_

Aubrey thought to herself as she pulled out the cigarette from her mouth.

She carefully examined the small object as it remained in her hand. With a cough, Aubrey stared at the very thing she had sworn off since tenth grade, before throwing it to the ground with a disgusted look on her face.

 _"Old habits die hard. If I woke up this morning knowing that I'd be end up here, after everything that happened today, I'm not sure if I'd stay in bed or get up. But here I am, smoking a cigarette, and throwing it into a pool without any water. Where the fuck did all that time go?"_

* * *

EARLIER THAT DAY, SPECIFICALLY 3:40 P.M.

"Stop! Stop! Jesus, just stop!" The Captain of the Bellas yelled, much to the other girls' chargin. There was a collective groan amongst all of them, including Chloe.

"Christ, where do I even begin with how off everything was? Amy, did you even do any of the cardio we were supposed to do during practice?" The blonde frustratedly interrogated Amy. "If I'm being completely honest, no, not really. Cardio isn't really my style, if I'm telling you the truth."

Rolling her eyes, Aubrey turned her attention to the others. "Chloe, you sound like you smoke six a day! What the Hell is the matter with you?!" Aubrey screeched, turning to ramble to herself once more, completely unaware of the hurt look on her friend's face as she reacted to Aubrey's insensitive comment. _"It's not like she knows I got the surgery. Maybe I should give her the benefit of the doubt… oh, who am I kidding? She probably wouldn't even care."_ Chloe internalised what she wanted to say so badly, but knew she didn't have it in her to say out loud.

Nevertheless, Aubrey paid little to no attention to anyone but herself, as she walked back and forth around the room, mumbling under her breath and pacing herself at the same time.

An annoyed Stacie leaned in close to CR, and whispered in her ear, "This is a load of horse-shit." Instantly, Aubrey's head shot up. "Who said that?! Who thinks this is a load of horse-shit?!"

Unsurprisingly, no one answered. Whether it was out of fear of Aubrey or a complete lack of knowing who actually said it was unclear amongst most of them, except for Stacie and CR. "So, nobody knows? Maybe we can just all wait, then. And while we're waiting, we'll keep practicing, harder and harder either until we get it right or until somebody confesses. Anybody have a problem with that?" Aubrey cruelly questioned.

There was much clamoring from everyone, with all of them protesting and angrily expressing their frustrations. But though they could yell and scream and blatantly show their anger, Aubrey did not care for one second.

What she did find interesting, however, was the look of discomfort on Stacie's face, as if she was daring to say something. A fake smile appearing on her face to go along with her cold gaze, Aubrey made her way to Stacie, ignoring the complaints of their fellow Bellas.

Standing directly in front of her, Aubrey kept her eyes focused on the brunette, who gulped as she looked directly back. "Something you wanna say, Stace? Why don't you start with 'I'm sorry for my poor choice of words'?" Aubrey asked in that same sickly sweet voice she always used when she mocked or belittled others. It irritated the others just as much as it frightened them.

As sweat rolled down Stacie's face, she briefly considered telling the truth. _"If I tell her, she'll probably kill me. If I don't, we're all screwed. Maybe I should just take my chances with doing the right thing."_

Not that she was given the chance to actually speak up, because at that very moment, someone else did. The voice was low, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear. And all that could be heard coming from it were two simple words: "Stop it."

Aubrey's neck whipped around so quickly, Stacie thought she may as well have snapped it. "Who said that?!" Their leader yelled, her voice growing increasingly hostile.

Then, the voice spoke once more. "It was me." And lo and behold, Ashley, of all people, stood before them all. Smirking, Aubrey slowly walked to face the girl who dared speak up. Not once did Ashley show any fear. She stood her ground, even as Aubrey towered over her.

"You want me to stop? Stop what? Yelling at you? Is that upsetting poor little Ashley?" The blonde condescendingly questioned. "Yeah. That's exactly what I want. You don't have any fucking right to treat us like this." Ashley growled, as the expressions on the faces of the other Bellas grew increasingly nervous, and the expression on Aubrey's own grew increasingly furious.

"Who in the the Hell do you think you are?!" She screeched, before Ashley retorted with, "I could ask you the same thing! I don't know about the others, but I'm sick of your bullshit! Stop fucking treating us this way!"

Everyone could practically feel the tension in the room slowly rising, like hot water in a jacuzzi. Boiling them all, slowly burning them the more they stayed.

A seething Aubrey spoke her next words in as low a voice as possible. "You think you have any right to talk to me this way? You have no idea what you're talking about, do you? Because here's what you don't get, Ashley. You are not important to us. You mean nothing. I could take you out of here, and it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference. So if I were you, I would shut the fuck up. Understand?"

In stark contrast to Aubrey, Ashley remained calm. Her expression was stern, and deep down, she knew that she felt an anger unlike any other she had imagined feeling before. She wanted to lash out. But she didn't. And she wouldn't back down.

"Aubrey, stop this! You don't need to talk to one of our friends that way!" Chloe interjected, getting between the two before one of them lunged at the other. "Thank you, Red!" Ashley remarked, before turning her head to face the furious Captain.

Aubrey looked at the redhead with an annoyed expression on her face. "Shut up, Chloe! And you, shut the fuck up. You are dragging this out longer than it needs to go on for, and if you keep it up, I will personally kick you out of the Bellas." She threatened, her voice stooping to barely above a low growl.

"Do it. You managed to run LP and Beca out of here too, and look how that turned out." Ashley retorted, her face contorting into a smirk.

The more she talked, the more she could see Aubrey becoming enraged. Everybody could see it in her eyes. And only Chloe dared to try and get in her way.

"Aubrey, don't do something you're going to regret." She warned, standing in front of her taller friend. It did nothing, as she was automatically shoved out of the way by Aubrey. "Get out of my way." She growled as she made her way towards Ashley.

"What you fail to realize is that those idiots drove themselves out. They lied to us, pretended to be our friends, and tried to manipulate you into doing what they wanted. You really wanna pin that on me?"

It was at that point that Stacie decided it was time to intervene. "Stop this! You're going too far, Aubrey!" With the attention on her, she saw Aubrey shoot her a look that sent chills down her spine. "Are you siding with this traitor? With the other traitors? Do you- do you really wanna test me right now, Stacie? Tell me: do you honestly want to test me right fucking now?"

And all of a sudden, Stacie was at a complete loss for words. With all eyes on her, it felt like she suddenly could no longer speak. It was as if she were completely tongue-tied, and whatever she could manage to say would only end up as nothing but stuttering gibberish.

"What's the matter? Can't say anything else but bullshit? Understandable. I have a solution: shut up, and let us get back on track." Aubrey yelled at the last part, as Stacie's shoulders drooped.

"Screw you, Posen. You've been nothing but a complete bitch to us all year. And after all that, you still demand some kind of respect from us? Fuck right off." Ashley cussed their captain out, drawing the attention back to her. "Shut up, Ashley! God, I've heard enough out of you! Now all of you, fall back in line, or you're all out of the Bellas!" Aubrey threatened, earning gasps and protests from everyone.

It was at that point that Chloe knew it was time to act. Just as Aubrey turned her back to everyone, taking deep breaths, she spoke up. "I have something to say."

All eyes were on her. At first, there were clamors, but Aubrey's silent glare that she shot at them shut them all up. "Well, if you think it'll help us all in any way, say what you have to say. Make it worth my time." Aubrey commanded, emphasizing those last five words in her sentence very carefully and very slowly.

With everyone looking at her, Chloe could suddenly feel the weight of the room. The tension that had been slowly boiling since the very first day the first practiced together, and she had never even noticed that it was all leading up to this moment. And now it was time for her to take a stand.

"You don't have to treat everyone like this. It's completely unnecessary. Please, stop." She politely asked.

For a few moments, no one said anything. But Chloe could tell, just from the looks on their faces, that they were surprised. Even Aubrey looked surprised, if her open-mouthed expression meant what Chloe thought it did.

Aubrey proceeded to speak, clearly trying to keep her anger from rising any further. "Chloe, you know I don't like it when people question the way we do things around here. So please, stay out of-"

"NO."

It was only one word. One syllable, and it took only one moment to say. But the impact of it was still felt throughout. Aubrey especially looked taken aback by her best friend's blatant defiance.

"I'm done keeping my mouth shut about this, Aubrey. I've been doing it for almost this entire year, and I just have to say that this is completely unfair. You have no right to be this way towards everyone." Chloe continued, her voice remaining calm and collected with every word she spoke.

Aubrey was furious. Her own best friend? The person whom she had endured the Hell of high school and college with? The person she'd trust with her life? And just like that, all of that had been wiped away with betrayal.

"Yes! Thank you, Chloe! You see, Captain? Even your best friend realizes just how much of a tyrant you are!" Ashley gloated. Aubrey knew that she was doing it to get to her, but she didn't care. It was too late for that, anyway.

"Oh, for the love of-SHUT UP! EVERYONE JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP! Jesus Christ, I'm sick of this fucking shit!" The captain yelled, frightening the others. Regardless, Chloe and Ashley wouldn't have it.

"Not this time, Aubrey! I've had your back since freshman year of high school, but you're going too far! We have a right to say what we think, so don't even think about trying to stop us now!"

Aubrey opened her mouth to angrily retort to her best friend, but found herself cut off by Stacie, getting her head back in the game.

"I was the one who said that this is horse-shit. Because it is. All of these rehearsals that nobody even cares about, your bitchy attitude, it's such massive horse-shit. But you know what's really horse-shit? It's not the fact that you won't own up to being a dick. It's the fact that you drove LP and Beca away just because your head is so far up your ass that you won't even give them a chance!"

And, much to the growing irritation of Aubrey, more and more of the girls started to speak up. From CR complaining that Aubrey was 'running the Bellas like a warden running a prison', to Amy stating that she felt like the Bellas had become 'two pounds of shit in a half-pound bag', everything said just seemed to make their captain angrier and angrier.

Eventually, she couldn't seem to take it any more, and launched into a series of insults directed at the others that seemed to shut them up once more. What she exactly said, we'll never know.

"Now… can we just get back to practicing? This conversation is going nowhere fast, and doesn't need to be had. End of story." Aubrey growled, but Chloe wouldn't have it. "No, that's not the end of this discussion! I need you to listen! For once, can you just listen to me?!"

Aubrey opened her mouth to speak, but saw the desperation in her friend's eyes. And just like that, she resisted the urge to say her mind.

"Fine. You've got the floor, Chloe. So say what you need to say."

Chloe took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and braced herself for any and all possible reactions that Aubrey would have. "Okay. Aubs, you know I love you like a sister, but I think you need to take this down a notch. You haven't really focused on anything outside of winning, and you've been really hard on most of us. Some of us more than others. So please, just lay off a little. It's the best for all of us."

She felt satisfied with what she said. As if she had just gotten something off her chest that she'd wanted to deal with for a while. It felt good. At least for about ten seconds.

"This is about LP, isn't it?" Aubrey coldly asked. Chloe's mouth hung wide open in anger at Aubrey's continued habit of letting things go right over her head, while Ashley simply rolled her eyes at the situation. "What? No! You're missing the point, Aubrey!" Chloe exasperatedly explained.

Smirking, Aubrey asked, in a condescending manner, "Well, then what exactly is your point?" Chloe could feel her own blood boiling, her anger growing steadily with every word that she heard come out of Aubrey's mouth.

"My point is that you're acting way out of line! I thought that when we became captains, we were gonna do what we thought was best for the Bellas! We were gonna give people the kind of college experience we thought we would have when we joined up! Instead, you're…"

Chloe paused herself. In her head, she knew that what she wanted to say could very well break her and Aubrey's relationship in half. She didn't want that. But at the same time, what else could she say without getting the message across as clearly as possible? "Well, Chloe? You have the floor. Use it." Aubrey commanded, losing her patience. _"Oh, God. What do I do? What do I say to her? How do I say it to her? Think, Beale. Think. What would Beca do in this situation?"_

And just like that, Chloe had an idea. She was prepared to answer as honestly as possible. In that moment, she did not care one bit if what she said was too mean-spirited, even for Aubrey. She just had to say it.

"I think you're no better than what Alice was."

At first, Chloe thought that admitting that, getting it off her chest, would make her feel better. She knew she had been thinking it for a long while, but she never thought she'd have the courage to actually say it.

Unfortunately, the look on Aubrey's face when she did said it all. With only the movement of her lips, her teeth gritted behind her pursed lips, and her eyes closed, Aubrey conveyed everything that was going through her own mind.

And then, her look of sadness quickly turned to anger. "You… you have no right to say that. After all we've been through? After all these years of us being friends, and this is how you want things to go?" She questioned the redhead, her voice scarily low.

Everyone was surprised by the sudden change in her tone of voice, with how easily she seemed to have been taken down a notch. Even Ashley found herself feeling some form of empathy for the clearly hurt Aubrey.

"I've been biting my tongue for too damn long, Aubrey. I don't wanna have to do this to you, to us. But you've been pushing the envelope for so long. I've covered for you more than once. And I can't do that anymore." Chloe apologetically said, as she slowly approached her friend, whose head hung low, staring down at the ground.

Chloe could hear her breathing, and she could only imagine the gamut of emotions that Aubrey must have been feeling. In a way, she wished she could place herself in her mind, if only for a few moments, just to get a sense of what she was thinking.

"Bree… say something. Anything, please!" Chloe begged, making no attempt to hide the desperation in her voice.

Surprisingly, Aubrey did exactly as she was directed to, and brought her head directly up to face Chloe, who went from wanting to hear what Aubrey had to say to fearing for her life in a matter of seconds.

"Okay. How about this: I think that you need to get your head out of your ass, Chloe. It's not a fucking hat."

As Aubrey moved closer towards Chloe, everybody took a step back, primarily out of fear for what she'd do to them. Even the redhead felt terrified of what was to come. In that moment, Aubrey was completely unpredictable.

"What? Was that too mean for you? Good. Now listen to me: you are gonna drop this, you are gonna fall back in line, and you are gonna admit that I was right about LP and Beca being bad for the Bellas. Especially about that lying, manipulative piece of shit-"

"YOU LISTEN TO ME. And you listen good. You have no right to call anyone in here names, insult us, or slander us in any way when you've probably been just as awful as you've accused LP and Beca of being! I know that LP screwed us up, but I talked to him, and if you heard any of the things that came out of his mouth, I guarantee you wouldn't be saying the same shit you've been spouting!."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Oh, so you're finally admitting that you have a toner for him? I knew you were a biased party. Still, it's kinda touching to see you stand up for the asshole. I mean, what about Beca? For the last few minutes, you've been trying to convince me of one asshole's innocence, but not the other? Isn't that a little suspicious, Chlo?"

Chloe groaned in response, and she said, in a clearly agitated voice, "I'm not biased! And this isn't about them, like I said before! This is about you and how you're treating us! You're so damn self-involved that you don't even bother to ask how other people are! All you've cared about since you, oh, I'm sorry, since 'we' became captains is proving that you're better than everyone else!"

Aubrey ignored the back and forth stares shared for both her and Chloe by the other Bellas, and remarked, "Yeah, I've been trying to take command of things, actually make them go right, for once in my fucking life! So why don't you cut me a fucking break like you do everyone else?!"

"NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU, DON'T YOU GET THAT?!" Chloe yelled, before realizing that both LP McDaniel and Beca Mitchell were standing in the doorway, staring onwards. Just from the looks on their faces alone, she could feel the awkwardness in the room. It wasn't pleasant.

"Um… we were just in the neighborhood, and y'know… thought we'd stop by." LP explained in the most deadpan tone of voice. "Are we interrupting something?" Beca asked, in an uncharacteristically awkward and small voice.

At that point, the arguing stopped, and all anyone could do was look at one another and think to themselves, _"What the fuck is happening?"_ , Or, _"What the fuck is going on?"_

Aubrey and Chloe looked at the duo standing in the doorway, then at one another, then back at LP and Beca, before looking at one another once again, blinking several times, and realizing that they had no idea what the Hell to do now.

"Uh… no. No. Chloe and I are just having a discussion." Aubrey blatantly lied through her teeth. Both Beca and LP were aware of this, but didn't seem to mind or even care.

"Okay… look, we came back because we both just wanted to say… we're sorry. More specifically, I'm sorry. For a lot of things." Beca explained, looking directly at Aubrey, whose head tilted in confusion the more she watched Beca act, well, not like Beca.

"I'm sorry, too. The truth on my part is that I haven't always been the most honest person to you guys, and I wanted to change that. Aubrey, I know that Chloe and Beca said what happened at Semi-Finals wasn't my fault, but I still feel bad about what happened. The truth is that I thought it was time for a change for all of this, and well, look where it got us. In any case, on my behalf, I'm sorry. For everything." LP apologized, taking Aubrey by surprise just as much as she was with Beca.

"And I'm sorry that I changed the set. I shouldn't have done that without trying to come to an agreement with you. This is just as much my fault as anyone else's. And if you're still mad at us, if you still don't want us to be part of the Bellas, we'll leave." Beca continued, earning many gasps and shocked murmurs amongst the other Bellas.

LP nodded his head in ascent. "If that's what you want, you'll never have to hear from us again." He said, and just from his tone of voice alone, both Aubrey and Chloe could tell that the both of them were being completely serious.

At first, Aubrey bit her lip, and turned her back on them, indicating precisely what her answer was. If that wasn't enough, what she said next spelled it directly out for them. "Well, you said what you needed to say. Now leave."

With a sigh, LP muttered under his breath, "Fair enough."

For a moment, he looked at Beca, who knowingly looked back at him. She understood. They both turned around to leave, expecting no surprises on their way out. But then something funny happened…

Just as Beca was about to open the door, Chloe made her way over to them, and stood directly by their side. "If you're going, I'm coming with you." She said to them.

Instantly, the duo looked back at her, surprise evident in their eyes, but no more so than the kind to be found in Aubrey's. "WHAT?! Chloe, you can't! The Bellas need you!" She protested. "Maybe. But what I'm more concerned about is if you really need me." Chloe retorted, with a bluntness in her voice that nobody had come to expect from her.

Aubrey turned her attention to Beca and LP, glaring at them. They could tell she was furious, and her next movement, quickly turning towards their direction, made it all the more clear of what her intentions were.

If not for what happened then, perhaps Aubrey would have reprimanded the two for what was going on. But instead, what happened next was that Stacie found herself standing beside the three. As Aubrey stood, mouth agape at the sight, the brunette said, "The Bellas aren't the same without these guys. If they're not here, neither am I."

Aubrey's face turned as red as a tomato. She was flushed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "You can't just leave! Not when everything is on the line!" She shouted as Ashley and CR joined them.

"We're with them, no matter what." Ashley bluntly remarked. "Do we have a problem here?" CR sarcastically asked the blonde, whose temper grew shorter with each and every word spoken out of the mouths of her fellow Bellas.

Obviously, they were quickly joined by Jessica, Amy, and Lily, who stood beside the others with the same confidence and fearlessness they had never quite been able to show before. "I'm sorry, Aubrey. But I'd rather take my chances with these guys, if I'm being completely honest." Amy admitted, with an uncharacteristic amount of seriousness in her voice.

As Lily nodded her head in agreement, Aubrey looked to Jessica. She could see the uncertainty within her. The best possible thing to exploit.

"Jessica… you know you can't leave. You know you don't have the guts to do it. Come on. You're better than this. You're smart. Don't join them. You'll earn your place with us." Aubrey spoke with condescending, faux kindness.

Jessica swallowed hard, looking from her captain to her friends, then back again. Recognizing her nervousness, Ashley moved beside her, and said, "Do what you think is right. That's all any of us can do."

The younger girl looked to Aubrey one more time. "If sticking with the people who didn't insult and break me down is the smart move, then so be it." She said, as Aubrey's fake smile faltered, and her shoulders drooped to her sides.

A smile spread on LP's face as he looked around him, seeing the people he'd been happy to call his friends stand by his side. It was something he had never thought he'd feel again, but he didn't want to waste once moment with it.

On the other hand, Beca looked at Aubrey. In stark contrast to the flustered, angry expression on her face, Beca kept her head in the situation, not a hint of smugness in the expression on her face. "You knew this was gonna happen eventually, Posen. We've had enough of your behavior, and we know that you need us a lot more than you want to admit. So either swallow your pride, or we all walk."

Aubrey was speechless. Her anger levels reached the same point they were at on the night of Semi-Finals. She knew she could completely flip out at them. Insult them, tear them down, pick them apart piece by piece, and they would go right back to where they started.

At the same time, she was also fully aware that there was truth to what they were saying. As much as she didn't want it to be true, Beca was right. She didn't want to admit it, but she was right. She did need them. Without them, what was she to do? Ride solo? Possible, but also unlikely, and with a high chance of ending in disaster.

So, instead of making an effort to fight back, she made a noise that sounded an awful lot like "hmmph", and like a child, turned her back to them, crossing her arms as she did so.

Chloe's shoulders slunk below her head. She sighed, turning her head to face LP and Beca. Beca simply nodded at her, while LP put a hand on her shoulder. He looked at everyone else, and said, "Come on, guys. Let's just go."

Accepting defeat, the band of friends all turned to leave, only to be stopped once more by Aubrey, who had turned around, uncrossed her arms, and called out to them, "Stop! Please, stop!"

Beca took a sigh of relief as they all turned around. "Thank you. If we all just left at once, that would've been kinda depressing." She admitted, as the others turned to face their Captain.

"Look, I know I've been hard on you. All of you, but especially you and McDaniel. But I am my Father's daughter, and he always told me, 'if at first you don't succeed… pack your bags'." She admitted, and as soon as she did, it sounded like she was going to choke up. Aubrey swallowed hard.

LP looked at her sympathetically. He hadn't seen Aubrey look as defeated as she did, nor had he seen her in as vulnerable of a position.

He sighed, and in a move that visibly surprised the others, he moved to the captain's position, and placed a hand on her shoulder. She, in turn, looked up at him.

"I get it. Families can be difficult. They can beat us down just as easily as they try to bring us up. Believe me, I know." LP said to her, in a voice soft enough to show his empathy, but loud enough for everyone to hear his voice.

Beca nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I guess we really don't know a lot about each other, do we?" She asked. Chloe sadly chuckled, taking a seat in the middle of the room. "I guess you're right. Why don't we try to remedy that?" She proposed, a hopeful glimmer in her bright eyes.

LP took a seat next to her in the middle of the circle. "Works for me. I have a few things I could get off my chest." He said, as everyone else proceeded to take a seat in the circle.

Eventually, everyone was seated. And all of a sudden, there was complete silence. It was Stacie who broke it. "So… where do we start?"

Sighing, Aubrey stood up. "I guess I'll go up first. I'd like to state that I'm aware that I've been hard on all of you this year. I know that I've been I know it's unfair to you guys, and I just want you all to know how sorry I am. For everything. For all the insults, for pushing you guys too far, for all of it." From the tone of her voice alone, the Bellas could tell Aubrey was speaking with complete sincerity.

She looked to the only male in the room. "LP… I am so sorry for the way I've treated you. I know that I can be difficult, and I really hope you can forgive me." Aubrey apologized. As soon as she sat back down, LP was quick to respond.

"It's okay. I know that I haven't exactly made things easy for you, either. If I'm being honest, there is a lot more truth to what you said about me at Semi-Finals than I wanted to admit." LP said with a sigh.

From the look on the faces of the other Bellas, save for Chloe, he could tell that they were unclear on what he meant. "What are you talking about, McDaniel?" CR asked. And just like that, he froze up. With all eyes on him, he knew he had the floor. And he knew that it was time to tell the truth. All of it. And he wasn't ready.

Chloe sensed his uneasiness, and placed a hand on his as they rested in his lap. He looked at her, and she gave him a small smile. "Go ahead. Say what you need to say. No judgment, I promise."

So, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, opened them, and spoke.

"I used to be friends with people who weren't exactly the nicest folks. I let myself get so blinded by my loyalty to one person, someone I trusted for so long and considered my friend, only to realize she wasn't the same person I knew. I lost a lot in high school. My best friend, my sanity, the structure of my family. It wasn't until it was too late that I realized what I had to do: fix it. My life was falling apart, so I came here. More importantly, I came because I wanted to give my little sister a good life. I wanted her to come live with me after I graduated. I thought that was all I wanted to do. But then I met you guys, and I lost sight of that. And really, the truth is… I don't know what the Hell to do anymore."

LP sat back in his chair, his hands resting in his lap as he twiddled them. "So, yeah. That's me in a nutshell. Me and my fucked up, depressing world, huh?" He muttered with a dark, humorless chuckle.

The girls were speechless. Their mouths hung wide open. Even Chloe was shocked, and she already knew most of the story.

"Oh, my God. That's awful, LP." Aubrey said with a surprising amount of empathy. He looked up at her, and responded, "Yeah. But, enough about me. I feel like there are people here who all have something to say. That's more important to me than anything I have to say or depress you with." Beca rolled her eyes whilst simultaneously smiling. "Even when he has the floor, he'll take the time to listen to what somebody else might have to say."

"Well, guess I should go, huh? Look, I know I haven't always been the most open person with you guys. And I'm sorry that it's been like that. I just want you all to know that the truth about me is that I've had a hard time opening up to anyone ever since my Dad left my Mom. Deep down, there's always some part of me that's worried that no matter who I get close to, it'll end with them just going away in the end."

The brunette sat back in her seat, exhaling as she did so. Next was Chloe. "Okay. I have something that I've been meaning to tell you all. And it's this: if you're wondering why I don't sound too great today, it's because over spring break, I finally made the decision to remove my vocal nodes. Doing that means…"

She was on the verge of tears, and couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence. Not that she needed to. Everybody already understood. There was a collective shock amongst them all.

Acting on instinct, Beca got out of her seat and wrapped her arms around the sobbing Chloe, who responded in kind. "It's okay, Red. It's okay." The brunette soothed, as Chloe took several deep breaths in and out.

After a few moments, the two broke off their embrace, as Chloe sat back in her seat, as did Beca. Aubrey then stood up. "LP… what do we do, now?" She asked him. And with all eyes on him, LP McDaniel stood up, and took a moment to look at them all.

He saw the desperation in their eyes, especially in Chloe and Aubrey's. He saw the fear in Jessica, Stacie, even Amy seemed nervous, a stark contrast to her usual charisma. He saw the unsureness in Beca, CR, Ashley, and Lily. And in that moment, it dawned on him: they were looking for a leader. And they wanted him.

"Let me get this right: you guys want me to lead us? I mean, what about Beca?" He asked, much to Beca's surprise (and slight amusement). Aubrey nodded her head. "Yes. I'm sure of it. I want you to lead the Bellas. Just for Semi-Finals. I know now that I'm not really the best at being captain, so why don't you take the reigns a little?"

As he pondered this question, he then looked to Beca. "You sure you don't want to take command?" He questioned. With a small smile, Beca responded with, "Yeah. I'm sure. Besides, if all goes wrong, I can pawn it off on you."

He chuckled, and began to think of what he could do, of what he had to do. And then, as if lightning had met a bottle, and idea popped into his head.

So, LP looked to all of them, and said, "I have an idea. And I have… part of a plan. It requires all of us getting our shit together. It's not much, but it's a start. So I think we should all try to make it into something beautiful. Who's in?"

Chloe was quick to respond. "I'll follow your lead." He smiled, and looked to Beca. "Like I said, less pressure for me. I'm in." She said, before looking to Stacie.

"I'm up for you being team leader, if only for a little bit. Just don't let the power get to your head." She joked, and he laughed a little in response, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

It was inevitable that Amy would chime in eventually. "Mac for leader? I like it! Sign me up!" She enthusiastically quipped. Next was CR. "As long as it's better than what's been going on since the beginning of the year. No offense, Aubrey." In response, Aubrey offered a small laugh. "None taken."

She then realized that LP was looking to her for approval, as if he still needed any from her. "What are you looking at me for? You already heard me say that you're A-okay. Do what you have to!"

LP then looked to Ashley. "I don't know a whole lot about you, McDaniel, but I hope to God that you know what you're doing. In any case, I'm with you."

He turned his attention to Jessica, who smiled at him. "This whole time I've known you, you've been nice to me. I'm with you till the end of the line."

LP smiled back at her, and said with a slightly sarcastic tone, "Wow. You'll blindly follow me because I was nice to you?" She rolled her eyes good-naturedly as he stood in the middle of the circle of chairs formed in the practice area.

"Okay, that seems like everybody. I'd ask Lily, but-", He was interrupted then by an unfamiliar voice. "Okay." It said, startling everybody. Well, everybody except for Beca.

Amy looked around. "Who said that?! Was it a ghost?!" She yelled. Lily laughed a little, earning the attention of just about everyone.

"Wait… you can talk?" LP questioned. Lily nodded her head in response. "And you just didn't for this entire time?" CR chimed in. "Mmm hmm. Fooled you, didn't I?" Lily said with a smirk. "Not gonna lie, yeah, you did." Chloe replied with a small laugh.

Beca then raised her hand, drawing attention to herself. "Full disclosure: I've known since Semi-Finals. I just didn't feel like telling you guys."

LP shook his head, rolled his eyes, and smiled all at the same time at the girls. "Well, now that I know you're all in, that already gets this plan rolling. Now here's what we're going to do..."

* * *

Aubrey sat patiently, taking a puff of the cigarette smoke as she watched the Bellas walk into the pool area, along with Jesse and Benji, who she was unsurprised to see, given LP and Beca's friendship with them. All the same, she was wondering why they were there.

As they approached her, she got down from where she sat, landing as gently as possible in the pool. "Okay, I'll bite: what are we doing here? And furthermore, why are Jesse and Benji here?" She asked.

Jesse awkwardly laughed. "Well, we're here because Beca and LP asked us to be here." He explained. "We heard what you guys are planning, and when they asked us to help, we didn't hesitate to accept the offer. You need an audience. And moral support!" Benji continued, surprisingly being the less awkward one in this situation.

Aubrey giggled as she put out the cigarette, not bothering one bit if they saw her with it. "Okay, then. So, tell us, Captain McDaniel: why are we here?"

"Well, if you guys already weren't aware, I have a fear of water. That's about half of the reason I wanted to leave the night of the Riff-Off. That, and Bumper was getting on my nerves. Anyway, I figured the best way to confront my fear and for my plan to work would be to have us start out where we first showed what we could do. So, who's ready to get started?"

Everybody raised their hands, including Jesse and Benji. "Okay. Then let's make some magic. First, we need a few songs. Aubrey, you wanna do the honors of picking the first?"

It took her a moment of thinking, but Aubrey soon found herself settling on an answer. "Bruno Mars' 'Just the Way You Are'." She responded. "Perfect choice. Beca, you wanna pick the next-"

He got his answer fairly quickly from her as she cut him off midsentence. "'Don't You Forget About Me'." The brunette said with a smile. Jesse gasped. "You watched the rest of 'The Breakfast Club'!" He exclaimed.

She laughed at his enthusiasm. "Yep. Loved it. All this time, I've been missing out on movies that good?" She asked, to which LP responded, "Oh, please. You haven't even gotten to the really good stuff yet! Back on topic, but I feel like I need you to know that we all need to bring it when we show up on stage. We all have a part to play. Luckily, we have a secret weapon."

At first the girls were confused, and he recognized this. He then tapped Lily on the shoulder, and said, "It's you, Lily. We need you now more than ever."

She raised her eyes at him. "Are you sure about that?" LP nodded his head with a smile on his face. "Positive. Even when you were pretending to be quiet, we all knew that you killed it on-stage. Let that loose. Don't be afraid to let people hear what you can really do."

Hearing his words of encouragement, a smile grew on Lily's face. "Okay. I'm ready." LP clapped his hands, stood at the edge of the pool, and shouted, "Then let's do this! On my count in three… two… one. Okay. Let's go!"

AUBREY: Oh… her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they're not shining…

CHLOE: Her hair, her hair folds perfectly without her trying…

CR: She's so beautiful… and I tell her every day…

BECA: Hey, hey, hey, hey. Won't you come see about me?

JESSE: I'll be alone, dancing, you know it, baby.

BENJI: Tell me your troubles and doubts. Giving me everything-

JESSICA: I know, I know, when I compliment her she won't believe me.

AMY: But it's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see.

ASHLEY: But every time I ask her 'do I look okay', I say…

LILY: Love's strange, so real in the dark. Think of the tender things that we were working on.

STACIE: Slow change may pull us apart when the light gets into your heart baby…

AUBREY: When I see your face…

JESSE: Don't you…

CHLOE: There's not a thing that I would change…

BECA: Forget about me...

LP: Because girl you're amazing...

ALL TOGETHER: Just the way you are…

STACIE: Because you're amazing

LP: Don't you forget about me…

ALL TOGETHER ONCE MORE: Just the way you are.

After that final lyric was sung, the group of individuals in that pool looked to one another. Usually, in all of their minds, the thoughts of the Barden Bellas, as well as anyone who just so happened to be associated with them, couldn't be more different. But right in that moment, they were all thinking along the lines of the same thing: they had finally found a solution. And they were ready.

"I think we just found our harmony." Chloe softly said, making an effort to keep her giddiness to a medium. "No shit." Lily giggled, as the others erupted in shared, joyous, glorious laughter. But they weren't just laughing at their friends' humor. They were laughing for the same reason they were laughing when they did the last time they were all together, the night of the Riff-Off: several crazy things had happened prior to their moments together, and crazy things were bound to happen even after these small moments. But they didn't care. They were all there, they were all happy to be where they were. Even with all their problems, everything they knew that could go wrong somehow no longer mattered. Together they stood, united not just as teammates, but as true friends. Companions until the end.

 _Author's Note: You know what I realized? Yesterday, where I am, was the one year anniversary of this story. You know what this means? I've been doing this story for a year now, and somehow still keep at it. All thanks to you guys. Thank you all for reading and staying with this story for the past year. I hope it means as much to you as it does to me, and you're ready for the end. But don't worry, because there's always more stories right around the corner..._

 _Side-question, but did this chapter taste like diabetes? I sure hope not. But hey, after how depressing the last few chapters have been, I figured we could use a blend of the sour and sweet this time around._

 _You know what else I just realized? The next chapter is the last chapter of this story. That's kind of a relief, but it's also kind of terrifying. And in the next chapter, I hope I can deliver on sticking the landing. Expect it to be released soon, since it's gotta be the easiest chapter to write! It's the end! That's easy!_

 _Phenomenal Excelsior, thank you for your thoughts on the last chapter! It was a hard thing to write, but I wanted to nail as much as possible, and I feel like I'm finally satisfied with where it is now. Nweeks3, thank you, too, for reviewing! The scene with LP and Chloe was easily the hardest I had to write, mostly because of how depressing it was to write about, and because I hate having to put our characters through Hell. Still, thank you both for reviewing!_

 _Also, as promised in the last chapter, if I were to choose who were to play LP, I'd love to see Nick Robinson, the lead from 'Love, Simon', play him. He's a great actor, and I knew from the second I saw that movie that he would be the perfect choice for the character. And as a bonus, I'd want June to be played by Dafne Keen, who you may know from 'Logan' as Laura AKA X-23, and LP's Dad Thomas to be played by Andrew Lincoln, who you either know about for his performance as Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead or his performance from 'Love, Actually'. Heck, come to think of it, I may have brought him up in an earlier chapter! I believe it was Chapter Eight._

 _Anyhow, thank you guys for reading! I hope you're ready for the final chapter, and for the sequel, which I'm hoping will be released around Christmastime, but you never know! If you liked this chapter, please leave a review, or, if you're feeling really generous, follow or favorite this story, and, as always, take care you guys, and until next time, I'm the Flying Hawaiian 001, wishing you all a late but happy Thanksgiving, and a safe and happy holiday season! Cheers to you all!_


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